Telegram removed from Google Play Store as Centre acts to prevent NEET paper leak; Apple likely to follow

Google has removed messaging platform Telegram from its Play Store in India following a government directive aimed at preventing the circulation of leaked examination material ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination, according to sources familiar with the development.

Apple is also expected to remove the app from its App Store in compliance with the same order, sources said. The move comes as authorities intensify efforts to safeguard the integrity of one of India's largest entrance examinations after recurring concerns over paper leak allegations.

A source aware of the matter said the government had directed both technology companies to temporarily delist Telegram from their respective app stores.

"The government has asked Google and Apple to delist the app temporarily. Google has done it. Apple will be doing it," the source said on condition of anonymity.

Users attempting to access Telegram through the Google Play Store on Tuesday were greeted with a message indicating that the application was unavailable.

Govt invokes IT Act provisions

The action follows recommendations made by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to undergraduate medical programmes.

According to the NTA, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued directions under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, restricting access to Telegram in India for a limited period.

The restrictions will remain in force until June 22, 2026, covering the day of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination and the immediate period thereafter.

Queries sent to Google, Apple and MeitY did not receive any immediate response.

Focus on preventing misinformation

In a parallel measure, authorities have also directed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature for already-posted messages in India until June 30.

The NTA said the feature had been misused in the past to alter existing messages and create purported evidence of examination paper leaks after exams had already taken place.

"A separate direction requires Telegram to disable in India the message-editing feature for already-posted messages till June 30, addressing the specific structural feature through which the platform has been used to fabricate after-the-event 'paper leak' evidence in respect of national examinations," the agency said in a statement.

Temporary restrictions linked to exam security

The latest measures underline the government's heightened focus on exam security after paper leak controversies triggered public concern and legal scrutiny in recent years.

Officials maintained that the restrictions are temporary and targeted, with the objective of preventing the circulation of unauthorised content, misinformation and fabricated claims that could undermine confidence in the examination process during the NEET re-test period. (With inputs from PTI)