AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal called the temporary suspension of Telegram ahead of the June 21 NEET-UG 2026 retest "absurd."
The government directed Apple and Google to temporarily delist Telegram to curb cheating networks and misinformation.
Kejriwal alleged that the administration lacks the intent to halt paper leaks due to a multi-billion-rupee corruption racket.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday criticised the central government's decision to temporarily suspend access to the Telegram messaging platform prior to the NEET-UG 2026 retest, labelling the move "absurd". The former Delhi chief minister alleged that the administration lacks the political will to halt examination paper leaks, linking the issue to institutional corruption.
The developments follow a directive issued by the government on Tuesday instructing Google and Apple to delist Telegram from their respective application stores until June 22. According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), the temporary restriction was enacted to counter cheating syndicates and the spread of misinformation before the re-examination scheduled for June 21.
The underlying crisis began when the initial medical entrance examination, held on May 3, was cancelled by the testing agency on May 12 following widespread allegations of irregularities, affecting hundreds of thousands of candidates across the country. PTI reported that NTA Director General Abhishek Singh defended the messaging app ban as a necessary preventative measure to ensure the upcoming retest is conducted without any malpractice.
Reacting strongly to the decision, Kejriwal questioned the effectiveness of the government's strategy in a social media post on X.
"The Modi government has no intention of stopping paper leaks. That's why such absurd steps are being taken -- transporting papers by Army aircraft and shutting down Telegram. Will these steps stop paper leaks? Absolutely not," Kejriwal stated.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader further alleged that the leaks are part of an organized financial network. "The paper leak business is a multi-billion-rupee racket. The money goes all the way to the top. If paper leaks are stopped, where will the money come from to buy MLAs/MPs?" he added.
Security measures for the national competitive exam have drawn heightened scrutiny following the cancellation. While the NTA maintains that blocking communication channels and utilizing military transport are essential to safeguarding exam integrity, opposition leaders argue these actions fail to address the core network behind the leaks, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
