NTA, IIT Madras say vulnerability of Telegram was used to spread false paper leak claims

NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) and IIT Madras on Tuesday justified the temporary restriction on Telegram ahead of the re-NEET examination, citing instances where the platform was allegedly used to fabricate evidence of question paper leaks through edited messages carrying old timestamps.

The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), however, criticised the government's curbs on Telegram, calling the move a band-aid solution and a "disproportionate" response to exam fraud. Meanwhile, Google has removed messaging app Telegram from the Play Store and Apple is likely to follow suit in compliance with a government order, sources aware of the development said.

Explaining the rationale behind the temporary restrictions on Telegram, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the step was taken to safeguard the integrity of the re-NEET examination following the cancellation of the May 3 exam over malpractice allegations.

"The primary reason for cancelling the exam and ordering a re-exam and CBI inquiry was to ensure that nobody violates the sanctity, the integrity of the NTA examination, the NEET examinations, and nobody should be able to take away the rights of a hard-working student preparing for medical examinations," Singh said in a video message on X.

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He acknowledged the burden on candidates who have been asked to appear again. According to Singh, one of the major concerns was the misuse of Telegram channels claiming to sell question papers. "Social media is flooded with such stories about Telegram channels claiming to sell re-examination papers for NEET-UG 2026. We have verified every such claim and what we have found is that they are all fake.

"They have been generated by using AI and other tools. The modus operandi is that the price is very low, from a few thousand to a lakh rupees," he said. Singh said those behind such channels exploit students and parents by taking money on false promises. "Anyone claiming to sell you any paper is lying, is trying to scam you, is trying to fool you, is trying to exploit your vulnerability and taking the money," Singh said.

"None of them have access to the actual question papers which are completely safe and secure. We have done the highest-level security in setting up question paper and ensuring their printing and movement; we have used the Indian Air Force, we have used all possible efforts that would have been needed for ensuring safety, security."

"There is no version of the question paper, actual question paper, which is available outside the secure chain. We have complete chain control over the chain of custody," he said. Singh also alleged that Telegram channels use message-editing features to create a false impression that question papers were available before the examination.

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"What Telegram channels have been doing for long is that they show videos and screenshots of Telegram chats that appear to contain question papers with dates which are before the examination," he said. Singh cited an instance from the May 3 NEET examination to explain how the alleged misuse worked.

"On the 3rd of May, when the examination was conducted, we got a similar complaint wherein a video was circulated by several handles after the examination was conducted, which showed a question paper that was shared on that Telegram channel on 1st of May, that is two days before the examination," he said.

According to Singh, the NTA investigated the matter and found that the question paper shown in the video carried a unique identifier. "Every question paper in the NEET examination has a unique identifier. So we are able to track each question paper where it was used," he said.

Elaborating on the investigation, Singh said the NTA was able to trace the question paper shown in the viral video to a specific candidate through its unique identifier. "We identified that question paper which was shown in that video. It was given to one candidate at Government Higher Secondary School, Sagam Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir.

"This question paper was given to that student in the afternoon of 3rd May under magistrate supervision. Police had CCTV; we verified the entire content... That student had appeared in the examination on 3rd May," he said. According to Singh, the agency also verified that the candidate's OMR sheet had been received by the NTA after the examination.

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"The student's OMR sheet was also received back to NTA after the conduct of the examination. So it was clear that this Telegram chat was fabricated," he said. According to him, the probe found that Telegram allows channel administrators to edit previously posted messages while retaining the original timestamp.

"Telegram has a vulnerability in which it allows the admins of a Telegram channel to edit a chat in the past date... When they do that, the timestamp remains the same," Singh said. Explaining the issue, IIT Madras Director Prof V Kamakoti said Telegram allows users to edit messages without altering the original timestamp, creating scope for misuse.

"The Telegram platform has a vulnerability. You can send a message today at 3 pm and you can edit the message tomorrow or some other day later without changing the timestamp. So, for people who look at the message tomorrow or later, it will look as if he had sent the message at 3 pm today," Kamakoti said.

According to him, the feature has been used in the past to create misleading impressions and trigger panic among candidates appearing for competitive examinations. "Using this vulnerability, there has been an attempt in the past to create confusion and panic among candidates who appeared for multiple competitive examinations," he said.