Business

Dubai: Google has removed the Telegram messaging application from its Play Store in India after receiving a government directive aimed at preventing the spread of examination-related leaks ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. Sources familiar with the matter said Apple is also expected to comply with the order and remove the app from its App Store in the coming days. The move comes as authorities intensify efforts to protect the integrity of the national medical entrance examination, which is scheduled to be reconducted on June 21. According to sources, the government instructed both technology companies to temporarily delist Telegram from their app marketplaces as part of measures designed to curb the circulation of leaked examination materials. "The government has asked Google and Apple to delist the app temporarily. Google has done it. Apple will be doing it." Users attempting to access Telegram through the Google Play Store in India were shown a notification indicating that the application is currently unavailable. Neither Google, Apple, nor the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued an immediate public response to media queries regarding the development. The action follows recommendations made by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which oversees the conduct of the NEET examination. MeitY issued directions under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, restricting access to Telegram across India for a limited period. According to the NTA, the restrictions will remain in place until June 22, covering the day of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination and the immediate period afterward. In its statement, the agency said that the temporary measure was introduced to prevent the misuse of digital platforms for spreading examination-related misinformation and alleged leaked content. "Acting on recommendations made by the National Testing Agency (NTA), MeitY has issued a direction under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, restricting access to the Telegram platform in India for a defined and limited period ending June 22, 2026 covering the day of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination and its immediate aftermath." NTA stated, In addition to restricting access to the platform, authorities have also directed Telegram to disable a specific feature within India. "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." NTA explained, Officials believe the temporary suspension of the message-editing function will help prevent the creation or modification of content that could be used to falsely claim the existence of examination paper leaks after the exam has taken place. The decision marks one of the most significant actions taken by Indian authorities against a major messaging platform in connection with examination security. The development has also sparked discussions about digital platform regulation, online communication restrictions, and the measures required to safeguard national-level competitive examinations. The NEET-UG examination remains one of India's largest entrance tests, with millions of students competing annually for admission to medical and dental colleges across the country.