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Telegram Goes Dark In India: App Delisted From Google & Apple Stores, Existing Users Cannot Use It Ahead Of NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam

· Free Press Journal

Telegram has officially been shut down in India. After moving Delhi High Court, the app that was responsible for leaking the NEET UG 2026 exam paper, has now been banned in India. The app has been delisted from Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India. Existing users cannot chat on the platform. If you try to chat with someone on Telegram right now, you will find yourself staring at the word "Connecting…" in an endless loop. You will be unable to send a message, share a document, or load a group chat.

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Telegram ban in India: What is happening right now

At the time of writing, Telegram is not working in India. The app displays a persistent "Connecting…" status on startup and does not allow users to send texts, images, or documents. No tick marks appear after messages are composed. Chats do not refresh, media files will not download, and channels and groups fail to open, regardless of which network or device a user is on.

Until June 22, Telegram will not load in India regardless of which network or device you use. There is no workaround within standard usage. Clearing the app cache, reinstalling, or restarting the phone will make no difference. The disruption is not a bug or outage, it is the result of a government order.

Telegram ban in India: Pulled from the app stores

Google has removed the messaging app Telegram from its Play Store, and Apple has also followed in compliance with a government order. When users search for Telegram on the app stores, the app simply does not appear. When checked, Google Play Store displayed the message that the app is not available.

The two tech giants have removed it in compliance with the government order to block access to the app ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. The removal means new users cannot download Telegram at all, while existing users who still have it installed find themselves with a non-functional app. The app is present on their devices, but the servers it needs to connect to are inaccessible from within India.

Telegram ban in India: Why?

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has restricted access to Telegram in India till June 22 over NEET UG 2026 exam concerns. MeitY acted on recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA), invoking Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the legal mechanism India uses to block online services and content.

The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination is scheduled for June 21. Several Telegram channels and groups were allegedly being used to circulate misleading claims regarding examination paper leaks and to lure students with fraudulent offers promising access to question papers.

The original NEET-UG examination held on May 3 was cancelled amid allegations of a paper leak, making the security of the re-test a matter of intense public and political scrutiny.

Beyond the access block, the government has imposed an additional restriction. In addition to the temporary access restriction, Telegram was directed to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30. Authorities argued that the feature had previously been misused to create fabricated evidence of paper leaks by allowing users to edit old messages and replace attached files while retaining the original timestamps.

Telegram ban in India: VPNs to the rescue

Telegram continues to be operational through VPNs, which bypass Indian servers and connect with foreign servers for operations. However, cybersecurity experts have noted the limits of this approach as a counter-measure.

Telegram ban in India: Internet reactions

Opposition leader and Leader of the House, Rahul Gandhi, mounted a sharp political attack on the government over the restrictions. Taking to X, Gandhi wrote, "'Telegram Ban' — Modi government's new trick to stop paper leaks. Meaning, instead of catching the thief, just put a lock on the victim's door."

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 official Telegram account on X was characteristically blunt in its response to the ban. It wrote, "You should also shut down all the shopping malls since there might be a theft in one of them. And close the roads because I heard someone was speeding."

When a user pushed back, arguing that malls do stop known bad actors, Telegram replied, "Try harder. Malls stop crimes when they are aware – so does Telegram. No matter how actively anyone polices, misuse happens."

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