Arvind Kejriwal Criticizes Indian Government's Telegram Ban Amid Exam Paper Leak Concerns
Arvind Kejriwal has publicly criticized the Indian government's recent decision to restrict access to Telegram, arguing that such measures will not effectively prevent exam paper leaks. He claims that the issue is part of a larger multi-billion rupee racket that reaches the highest levels of power. Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, also condemned the ban, stating it punishes millions of users without addressing the core problem. The National Testing Agency has justified the ban under the Information Technology Act, but concerns remain about its actual effectiveness. Read on for a detailed analysis of this ongoing issue.
| Jun 17, 2026, 13:00 IST
Kejriwal's Critique of Government Measures
Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party and former Chief Minister of Delhi, expressed his disapproval of the Indian government's decision to restrict access to the Telegram platform on Wednesday. He labeled these measures ineffective in preventing exam paper leaks. In a post on X, Kejriwal criticized the government's decision to ban Telegram and utilize the Indian Army for transporting exam papers, questioning whether these actions would actually stop paper leaks. He asserted that such measures would not be effective.
Allegations of a Paper Leak Racket
Kejriwal further alleged that the paper leak issue is a multi-billion rupee racket, with funds reaching the highest levels. He raised concerns about the implications of stopping paper leaks, questioning where the money would come from to bribe MLAs and MPs. The National Testing Agency (NTA) had imposed a ban on Telegram until June 22, 2026, which included the re-examination for NEET (UG) 2026. This ban aimed to prevent the fabrication of false evidence related to paper leaks during national examinations.
Telegram CEO's Response
Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, criticized the temporary ban, stating that it unjustly punishes millions of ordinary users while failing to address the issue of leaks, which have simply shifted to other apps. He noted on X that the Indian IT Ministry had imposed a week-long ban on Telegram due to some users sharing leaked exam questions. This action affects over 150 million Telegram users in India, rather than those responsible for leaking exam materials, and has not stopped the leaks, which have merely transitioned to different platforms.
NTA's Justification for the Ban
The NTA clarified that the platform-level ban was enacted under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Additionally, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) instructed Telegram to disable the message-editing feature for previously posted messages in India by June 30, 2026.
Stay Updated with National News
For the latest updates on national politics, current events, and major news stories, stay tuned to National News in Hindi.