Telegram Still Down? Here’s Why Millions in India Are Asking the Same Question Today
Telegram was banned in India to protect NEET‑UG 2026 exam integrity, mainly due to its editing feature being exploited for fake leaks. The restriction ends today, but editing remains disabled until June 30.
Telegram users across India spent much of Monday doing the same thing on loop- opening the app, watching it fail to load, closing it, and trying again a few minutes later. The confusion has been building since the NEET-UG re-examination wrapped up on Sunday, with many assuming the platform would be back up the moment the test ended. It wasn't, and that gap between expectation and reality has fueled a wave of questions online.
Why The App Is Still Blocked
The confusion comes down to one easily missed detail. The government's restriction order runs through June 22, not until the start of June 22. So while the NEET-UG re-exam was held and completed on Sunday, June 21, the block itself doesn't lift until this entire day has passed. Practically, that means Telegram is expected to stay inaccessible for much of Monday, with services likely returning gradually once the restriction period officially ends.
Where The Ban Came From
The restriction isn't new or unexplained, it was ordered by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under Section 69A of the IT Act, on the recommendation of the National Testing Agency. The trigger was a wave of Telegram channels, some with names directly referencing a "leaked" NEET paper, that were reportedly charging students and parents money in exchange for access to exam content that didn't exist. The NTA has been blunt about this, stating that no paper exists outside the secured examination chain and calling such offers fraudulent. The Delhi High Court has since upheld the ban as a proportionate response.
The Search Surge
That single misunderstanding about timing has driven a noticeable spike in search activity, with queries like "Why is Telegram still down?", "Has Telegram been banned in India?", and "When will Telegram start working again?" trending through the day. For now, there's no sign this is anything close to a permanent ban — it remains a temporary, exam-linked restriction.
One More Thing Won't Come Back Right Away
Even once normal access resumes, one feature will stay switched off a little longer. Telegram's message-editing tool is set to remain disabled until June 30, under a separate directive, with full functionality expected from July 1. Authorities flagged this specific feature because it allowed admins to swap out message content while keeping the original timestamp, a loophole reportedly used to fabricate fake "leak" evidence after exams had already taken place.
So for users still refreshing the app in frustration, the truth is fairly simple: they're likely watching the last stretch of a restriction that, technically, hasn't actually expired yet.
Published By : Priya Pathak
Published On: 22 June 2026 at 15:04 IST