Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Centre has defended its decision to temporarily suspend Telegram’s services across India ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination. It told the Delhi High Court that the messaging platform’s architecture and repeated misuse for examination-related frauds left the Union government with “no other option” but to invoke emergency blocking powers under the Information Technology Act.
In a short affidavit filed before the Delhi High Court in response to Telegram’s writ petition challenging the suspension, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said the decision was taken only after “exhausting alternatives” and resorting to less restrictive measures, including repeated requests for targeted takedowns of unlawful content.
“I state and submit that the impugned decision was taken after exhausting alternatives, which were less restrictive and included targeted takedown of unlawful content, but these would have been woefully inadequate,” the affidavit filed by Mayank, Scientist-E with the Government of India, MeitY, stated.
The Centre argued that Telegram had become a key platform for the circulation of alleged NEET paper leaks, fake examination material, cyber frauds and other unlawful activities, posing a serious threat to public order and the integrity of the national examination system.
“This issue is both sensitive and extremely sentimental for the entire student community, and any further dilutions/compromise as regards the integrity of the examination process to be taken by as many as 22 lakh students pan India is potentially fraught with unrest and disruption with public order issues,” the affidavit said.
