Telegram Restored on Google Play Store After Temporary Ban Over NEET Paper Leak Ends

Google restored the instant messaging app Telegram on its Play Store on Tuesday morning, following the expiry of a temporary government ban at midnight on June 22. The app had been blocked by the government due to its failure to prevent the circulation of fake examination papers related to the NEET medical entrance exam.

Before the official restoration, some existing users reported that the app had already started functioning. However, as of 10:00 AM IST, Telegram remained delisted on Apple's App Store. An emailed query to Apple did not receive an immediate response.

The government had imposed a blanket ban on Telegram until June 22, with sources indicating that no change or extension of the timeline was ordered. The ban was enforced after Telegram failed to curb the dissemination of fraudulent content, including fake NEET exam papers, misleading information, and other activities that compromised the examination process.

Prior to the ban, government officials met with Telegram representatives on June 3 to flag these concerns. Subsequently, the Centre directed the blocking of the app and its associated web links, including the web version, until June 22. Telegram has also been instructed to disable its message editing feature until June 30.

The NEET re-examination was conducted on June 21, and no fraudulent activity has been reported so far. Telegram's founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, criticized India's Ministry of Information Technology for the week-long ban, alleging that Reliance Industries—in which Meta holds a partial stake—may have lobbied alongside its competitor WhatsApp to impose the ban on Telegram in the country.