The Delhi High Court on Thursday heard an important case about the government’s decision to temporarily block or restrict Telegram before the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination on June 21.
During the hearing, the court raised a major question. It asked how the rights of nearly 150 million Telegram users in India could be limited just because a small number of students are appearing for the NEET-UG retest.
The court was hearing a plea filed by Telegram against the Centre’s order. The messaging platform challenged the government’s decision, saying that restricting access would affect millions of ordinary users who use the app for daily communication.
A vacation bench led by Justice Tejas Karia listened to arguments from both sides. Senior advocate Dhruv Mehta appeared for Telegram, while Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the Centre.
After hearing both sides, the court reserved its verdict. This means the court will announce its final decision later.
The judge also asked both parties to submit their written arguments by 7 pm.
The issue has become important because NEET-UG is one of India’s biggest medical entrance exams. Lakhs of students appear for the exam every year to get admission into medical colleges.
This year, the exam became controversial after allegations of a paper leak.
Because of this, the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the NEET-UG exam held on May 3. The cancellation was officially announced on May 12.
Now, a re-exam has been scheduled for June 21.
The government says strict measures are needed this time to prevent another paper leak.
One of those measures is restricting access to Telegram.
The Centre told the Delhi High Court that Telegram can be misused for spreading exam papers and answers quickly.
According to the government, Telegram allows users to create bots, which are automated tools that can send messages to many people at once.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta explained that one Telegram account can create up to 40 bots.
He said these bots can further multiply and create large networks that can spread information very fast.
The Centre argued that this makes Telegram different from other social media or messaging platforms.
The government believes that if exam papers are leaked, Telegram’s bot system could help spread them quickly among thousands of students.
The Centre said this creates a serious risk during a high-stakes exam like NEET.
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Officials also explained that Telegram works on cloud-based systems, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace users quickly.
This, according to the government, creates extra challenges during investigations.
The Centre also claimed that reports have shown Telegram being used in illegal activities in the past, including terrorism-related communication.
Because of these concerns, the government believes temporary restrictions are necessary to protect the fairness of the exam.
The NEET paper leak case is currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The government said its main goal is to ensure that the re-exam takes place without any cheating or leaks.
Telegram strongly opposed the government’s decision.
Its lawyer argued that blocking or restricting the app would affect millions of innocent users who are not connected to the exam.
Telegram is widely used in India for personal chats, education groups, office communication, business activities, and many other purposes.
The company said that punishing all users because of possible misuse by a few people would be unfair.
The Delhi High Court appeared concerned about this issue.
Justice Tejas Karia asked how the rights of 150 million users could be limited for the benefit of a smaller group taking the exam.
This question became the main focus of the hearing.
The court seemed to balance two important issues — protecting the exam system and protecting the digital rights of ordinary citizens.
Legal experts say this case is important because it raises bigger questions about internet freedom and government control over online platforms.
Can the government temporarily block a platform to stop crime?
Or should restrictions only target the people directly involved?
These questions are becoming more common as digital platforms play a bigger role in daily life.
The court’s final decision could set an important example for future cases involving social media restrictions.
Students appearing for the NEET re-exam are also watching closely.
After the earlier paper leak controversy, many students have faced stress, uncertainty, and confusion.
The government wants to restore trust in the examination process.
At the same time, Telegram users want to know whether their access to the platform will continue normally.
The final verdict from the Delhi High Court will likely have an impact not just on NEET-UG but also on how the government handles digital platforms during sensitive events.
For now, the court has reserved its decision, and all eyes are on what it will say next.
The NEET-UG re-exam will take place on June 21 from 2 pm to 5:15 pm under strict security measures.
Meanwhile, the legal battle over Telegram continues, highlighting the growing tension between exam security and digital rights in India.
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