India has issued a temporary ban on Telegram until June 22 over concerns that fraudsters are using the platform to target candidates ahead of a re-test of the country's biggest entrance exam.
The National Testing Agency, which administers the National Eligibility Entrance Test, announced the move to prevent cheating networks from using Telegram to sell fake exam papers and spread misinformation.
The restrictions have drawn criticism from digital rights advocates, who argue that blocking the entire platform is a disproportionate response to exam fraud. The move is one of the most significant restrictions imposed on the messaging service, given India is Telegram's biggest market by downloads.
