India has blocked the Telegram messaging app until June 22, saying the platform was being used to “defraud candidates” taking a national medical entrance examination, according to a statement from the Ministry of Education on Tuesday, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The government said access to the Telegram platform in India is being restricted for a defined and limited period.
The restriction was imposed under a strict provision of the Information Technology (IT) law, which allows authorities to block access to online platforms in the “interest of sovereignty and integrity of India”.
Rights activists have argued that the provision is often used to curb free speech, although the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintains that it always acts in compliance with the law and in the public interest.
Last month, India cancelled a key undergraduate entrance exam for medical colleges known as the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), after authorities discovered that question papers had been leaked in advance. The leaks triggered a series of protests by students across different parts of the country, including sporadic demonstrations by what was described as India’s viral “Cockroach Janta Party,” which demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
A fresh examination has now been scheduled for June 21.
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