India has blocked the Telegram app nationwide until 22 June, cutting off more than 150 million users, after medical-entrance exam papers were leaked and cheating rackets exploited the platform.
The government invoked a provision of its IT law that permits blocks in the ‘interest of sovereignty and integrity of India’. It called the ban a ‘last resort’ against cheats. Founder Pavel Durov said “it punished 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India, not the insiders who leaked the exam materials,” and that the leaks had simply moved to other apps.
Digital-rights group the Internet Freedom Foundation called it a “band-aid solution,” disproportionate and unconstitutional. Google and Apple have agreed to de-list Telegram from their app stores. Read more at Reuters, BBC and Pavel Durov on X.
This story has been republished with permission from RCR Bites. For news like this direct and free to your Inbox every day, go to biteme.news to sign up for RCR Bites.
Indian exam cheaters are commonplace and not only for academic exams, either. Industry certs are often gained through dodgy exams, where the candidates have been fed the answers.