New Delhi

Telegram has become inaccessible to many existing users in India following the government's temporary restrictions on the messaging platform ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. However, cybersecurity experts say the application remains functional through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which allow users to connect through overseas servers.

The restrictions come after the government directed major app marketplaces to remove Telegram from their platforms until June 22. Google removed the application on Tuesday, while Apple has also complied with the directive and taken it down from its App Store.

Cybersecurity professionals have questioned the effectiveness of the move in preventing examination-related malpractice. Jiten Jain, Director of Voyager Infosec, said that restricting access to Telegram is unlikely to completely stop the circulation of leaked material because VPN services continue to provide alternative access routes.

According to Jain, users can bypass local restrictions by connecting through international servers, allowing Telegram to remain operational despite domestic blocks.

The temporary action was taken in the lead-up to the NEET-UG 2026 re-test scheduled for June 21. The National Testing Agency (NTA) had earlier cancelled the medical entrance examination conducted on May 3 after allegations of a paper leak surfaced.

Apart from restricting access to the platform, authorities have also instructed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30. Officials believe that edited messages were allegedly used in the past to create misleading claims that examination papers had been leaked before tests were conducted.

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov criticised the government's decision, arguing that banning the platform would not prevent examination leaks and would instead inconvenience millions of users.

In a statement posted on social media, Durov claimed that the restrictions penalise more than 150 million Telegram users in India rather than addressing those responsible for leaking examination material.

He also alleged that commercial interests may have played a role in the decision, suggesting that competitors could have influenced the move. However, a senior telecommunications industry source dismissed the claim, describing it as inaccurate and stating that Durov appeared to have confused two separate corporate entities while making the allegation.

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The restrictions are expected to remain in place until the conclusion of the NEET-UG re-examination process.