AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday criticised the Centre’s decision to temporarily restrict access to Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, calling the move “absurd” and alleging that the government was not serious about tackling paper leaks.
The Centre on Tuesday ordered a temporary restriction on Telegram until June 22 ahead of the June 21 NEET-UG retest. The National Testing Agency (NTA) said the measure was aimed at curbing cheating networks and the spread of misinformation related to the examination.
Defending the decision, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the restriction was part of efforts to ensure a fair and malpractice-free conduct of the re-examination.
Reacting to the move, Kejriwal alleged that the government was resorting to symbolic measures instead of addressing the root cause of paper leaks.
“The Modi government has no intention of stopping paper leaks. That is why such absurd steps are being taken — transporting question papers in Army aircraft and shutting down Telegram. Will these measures stop paper leaks? Absolutely not,” he said in a post on X.
The former Delhi Chief Minister further claimed that paper leaks had become a multi-crore racket and alleged that those responsible enjoyed political protection.
“The paper leak business is worth thousands of crores. The money reaches the highest levels. If paper leaks stop, where will the money come from to buy MLAs and MPs?” he alleged.
As part of the restrictions, the government has also directed Google and Apple to delist Telegram from their app stores until June 22.
The NEET-UG 2026 examination was conducted on May 3 but was cancelled by the NTA on May 12 following allegations of irregularities, triggering uncertainty among lakhs of aspirants. The re-examination is scheduled to be held on June 21.
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