Students Affected as Delhi High Court Upholds Telegram Ban Before NEET Re-Test

The Delhi High Court on Friday upheld the government’s decision to temporarily block the instant messaging platform Telegram for six days ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination, which is scheduled to be held on Sunday. The court ruled that the restriction was justified in view of the emergency circumstances and sufficient material placed before the authorities. The order came in the backdrop of the NEET-UG examination being rescheduled after its cancellation on May 12, following allegations of a question paper leak.

Around 2.27 million students had appeared for the exam across 551 cities before it was scrapped, triggering one of the largest examination-related controversies in recent years. According to central agencies, the question paper had been compromised, with certain portions reportedly accessible on mobile phones as early as May 1, just days before the original examination date. The incident marked the second major scrutiny of NEET-UG in two years, raising concerns over examination security and digital leak channels.

Telegram was blocked shortly after the rescheduling of the exam, following a June 16 government order directing the temporary restriction of the platform. The messaging service challenged the move in court, arguing that the decision was unconstitutional, arbitrary, and unlawful, and sought relief against the blocking order. However, Justice Tejas Karia of the Delhi High Court observed that the government’s decision was based on relevant material and did not suffer from “non-application of mind,” as argued by Telegram.

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The court held that the platform’s content and information dissemination fall within the scope of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which allows the government to block online content in the interest of national security, public order, and sovereignty. The court’s ruling effectively endorses the temporary restriction imposed during the sensitive examination period, underscoring the state’s authority to take preventive measures in exceptional circumstances.

The case also highlights ongoing legal and policy debates around platform accountability, digital communication regulation, and the balance between state security concerns and online freedom of expression.

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