The National Testing Agency (NTA) has clarified the rationale behind the temporary disabling of Telegram's message-editing feature in India until June 30, ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination. In a statement released on Tuesday, the agency highlighted that this feature had been exploited in recent examinations to fabricate evidence of paper leaks.
How the Feature Was Misused
According to the NTA, Telegram allows channel administrators to edit previously posted messages, including replacing attached files such as PDFs, while retaining the original timestamp. This functionality enabled administrators to modify an old, innocuous message after an examination concluded and insert the actual question paper into it. Screenshots of the edited post could then be circulated as purported proof that the paper was available before the examination.
NTA stated: "The feature, in its present form, permits a channel administrator to edit the content of a previously posted message, including the substitution of attached files such as PDFs, while the original send-time stamp is retained."
Broader Crackdown on Misinformation
The decision to disable the feature is part of a larger crackdown on alleged fraud and misinformation linked to the examination. The NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination is scheduled for June 21. Additionally, under directions from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), access to Telegram in India has been temporarily restricted until June 22.
The NTA also reported that several Telegram channels had been targeting students and parents by claiming to offer access to examination papers in exchange for money. Some of these channels allegedly operated under names such as "PAPER LEAKED NEET", "Re-NEET 2026", "Private Mafia", and "REE NEET MAFIAA".
Reassurance to Students
The agency reiterated that "there is no such paper available outside the secured examination chain" and emphasized that any promise of access to the question paper before the examination is fraudulent. Students are advised to remain vigilant and not fall prey to such scams.
