CEO Pavel Durov reacts to Telegram's India ban till NEET re-exam — ‘Leaks just moved to other apps’
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov reacted to India's ban on the messaging platform until 22 June, a day after the NEET re-exam, and said
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov reacted to India's ban on the messaging platform until 22 June, a day after the NEET re-exam, and said it would not stop anything — “Leaks just moved to other apps.” The move comes as authorities seek to prevent cheating and curb the spread of misinformation linked to the country's largest medical entrance examination. Here's what Telegram CEO said: “India’s IT ministry banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. This punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India — not the insiders who leaked the exam materials,” Durov said in an X post. Quick answers to key questions • 5 QUESTIONS 1 Why has the Indian government decided to ban Telegram temporarily? ⌵ The Indian government has banned Telegram until June 22, 2026, in response to its exploitation by organized cheating networks during the NEET UG 2026 examination, aimed at curbing misinformation and exam-related leaks. 2 What are the implications of the Telegram ban for NEET aspirants?
⌵ The Telegram ban may inconvenience NEET aspirants who rely on the platform for study groups, resource sharing, and communication as they prepare for the re-examination. 3 How does the Internet Freedom Foundation view the ban on Telegram? ⌵ The Internet Freedom Foundation has criticized the ban as a disproportionate response, arguing it harms the majority of users while failing to address the root causes of exam leaks and fraud. 4 What legal justification did the Indian government provide for blocking Telegram? ⌵ The government justified the blocking of Telegram under Section 69A of India's Information Technology Act, 2000, which allows for restrictions on platforms in the interest of national sovereignty and integrity. 5 How effective is the block on Telegram expected to be in preventing exam leaks? ⌵ Experts argue that the block may not be effective in preventing exam leaks, as such leaks could simply move to other platforms or be circumvented by users employing VPNs.
“And the ban hasn't stopped anything. The leaks just moved to other apps,” he added. Why has Telegram been restricted? The decision comes weeks after the NEET UG 2026 examination was cancelled amid allegations of irregularities and claims of a paper leak. The examination, which was originally scheduled for May 3, was scrapped following the controversy. The re-examination is now scheduled for June 21, with heightened security measures in place. Officials have maintained that the temporary Telegram restriction is intended to disrupt channels that could be used to circulate leaked examination material or spread misleading information about the test. How did NTA react? The Testing Agency (NTA) welcomed the decision, stating that it was aimed at maintaining the integrity of the examination process. According to the government, organised cheating networks have allegedly used Telegram to defraud candidates appearing for NEET UG. The messaging platform will remain inaccessible in India until June 22. How was the ban justified? The block was issued under Section 69A of India's Information Technology Act, 2000, a provision that allows the central government to restrict access to online platforms in the interest of "sovereignty and integrity of India." Separately, the government also ordered Telegram to disable its message-editing feature for all Indian users until 30 June 2026.
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