Rahul Gandhi targets Centre over Telegram ban before NEET re-test

“Lakhs of students have been studying on Telegram for years. How does snatching that facility become the solution to paper leaks?” he asked, adding that the ban was not foolproof and that those involved in organised cheating could easily migrate to other platforms.

In a blistering critique of the government’s handling of examination security, Rahul Gandhi said authorities were focusing on optics rather than addressing the root cause of recurring paper leak scandals.

“On exam day, students will be frisked. Pockets will be cut open with scissors. Question papers will be sent via the Air Force. There won’t be any shortage of theatrics. But not a single strike at the root of the disease,” he said.

“The paper leak mafia is thriving under this government’s watch. Modi Ji — drop the theatrics. Strike at the mafia, not the students,” Rahul Gandhi added.

The leader of Opposition also warned that young people were increasingly frustrated by repeated examination controversies and urged the government to heed what he called the “echo of students”.

The government, however, has defended the decision as a temporary and preventive measure.

National Testing Agency director general Abhishek Singh said the restriction on Telegram was aimed at ensuring that the 21 June re-examination is conducted without malpractice.

“We will not let anything go wrong. We will take all possible actions to ensure that the examination is conducted without any malpractice,” Singh said.

The NTA has also warned students and parents against social media groups claiming to possess leaked question papers and has stepped up surveillance measures ahead of the re-test.

The move has drawn criticism beyond India’s political opposition. Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov described the restriction as misguided, arguing that it punishes ordinary users rather than those responsible for leaks.

“Banning it, even temporarily, is a mistake,” Durov wrote on X.

“India’s IT ministry banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. This punishes 150 million-plus ordinary Telegram users in India — not the insiders who leaked the exam materials. And the ban hasn’t stopped anything. The leaks just moved to other apps,” he said.

While Telegram remains inaccessible through conventional channels in India, users have continued to access the platform through virtual private networks (VPNs), fuelling questions over the effectiveness of the temporary restriction as the country prepares for one of its most closely watched entrance examinations.

With PTI inputs