As more than 22 lakh students prepare to retake the NEET UG 2026 examination on 21 June, the Centre has introduced an extraordinary set of measures aimed at preventing another paper leak.
The re-examination will be conducted across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. It comes just weeks after allegations of a question paper leak led to widespread protests, political backlash and legal scrutiny.
In response, authorities have tightened security at every stage of the process, from restricting digital communication to securing the movement of confidential materials.
Telegram Temporarily Blocked
One of the most significant steps taken ahead of the re-exam was the temporary restriction on access to Telegram until 22 June.
The move was based on recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body responsible for conducting entrance examinations for admissions to higher educational institutions.
According to the NTA, the restriction was imposed in the "interest of public order" and in response to the "organised use" of the platform by cheating rackets targeting NEET candidates.
The agency also recommended disabling Telegram's message editing feature until 30 June.
The feature allows users to edit previously posted messages and replace attached files without altering the original timestamp. The NTA said such edited posts had previously been used to create misleading narratives suggesting question paper leaks.
Pavel Durov Criticises The Move
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov criticised the Centre's decision, arguing that it affected millions of users who had no connection to the alleged fraud.
In a post on X, Durov wrote: "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."
He added that the restriction had not addressed the root of the problem.
"And the ban hasn't stopped anything. The leaks just moved to other apps," he said.
Durov also stated that Telegram had removed hundreds of channels allegedly involved in sharing leaked exam materials and scams targeting Indian users. Reuters reported that Durov said the platform had taken action against offending channels in recent weeks.
Fraud Networks Under Investigation
The scrutiny of Telegram followed investigations into alleged cheating rackets operating on the platform.
According to The Hindu, two fraud networks targeting NEET aspirants had been busted. Authorities said these channels demanded payments ranging from thousands to lakhs of rupees from candidates and their families by promising access to question papers and guaranteed admissions.
Indian Air Force Roped In
The Centre also strengthened the physical security surrounding the examination process.
Question papers were transported with the support of the Indian Air Force, adding another layer of protection to the movement of sensitive materials.
Heavy paramilitary deployment was also put in place to safeguard examination logistics and ensure the secure transportation of confidential documents.
Paper Setters Put Under Lockdown
Those involved in preparing the examination were subjected to strict protocols.
According to reports by LiveMint, paper setters, moderators and translators were placed under lockdown conditions, with restricted access to phones, the internet and outside communication.
The measures were designed to minimise the possibility of unauthorised disclosures before the examination.
Supreme Court Told PM Modi Was Supervising The Process
Earlier, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally supervising the process to ensure the integrity of the re-examination, according to reports by The Times of India.
With lakhs of students pinning their hopes on India's biggest medical entrance examination, the NEET UG 2026 re-test has become more than an exercise in conducting an exam.
It is also a test of whether the authorities can restore public confidence in an examination system shaken by allegations of leaks and organised malpractice.
