Telegram challenges India ban over exam paper leak fears

"Banning it - even temporarily - is a mistake," he said.The controversy stems from allegations that question papers for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) - India's largest medical entrance examination taken by millions of students each year - were leaked before the test was held last month.The case is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and more than a dozen people have been arrested so far.The cancellation of the exam sparked protests across India, with students, activists and opposition leaders highlighting what they said were deep-rooted problems in the country's examination system.A retest is scheduled for Sunday and local media reports say Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters will be used to transport examination papers.The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET, has defended the ban on Telegram, saying it was imposed in response to the "organised use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates", although it acknowledged the "inconvenience" it would cause users who rely on it for "legitimate personal, educational, professional and informational purposes".EPA/ShutterstockProtests had erupted across India after the NEET 2026 exam was scrapped over allegations of a paper leakTelegram has more than 150 million active users in India, according to the company, and many rely on the app not only for messaging but also to access educational content through large public groups and channels.