India Blocks Telegram: VPN Use Soars

India has temporarily suspended access to Telegram for its estimated 150 million users in the country. This action was taken by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to prevent cheating on a nationwide medical entrance examination, the NEET-UG. The National Testing Agency (NTA) stated that Telegram channels were being used to sell what they claimed were leaked exam questions, although the NTA insists no such papers were legitimately leaked.

Following the ban, there has been a significant increase in VPN usage, with hourly registrations reportedly spiking by 150%. Google searches for "telegram vpn" also saw a notable rise. Critics, including Telegram CEO Pavel Durov and the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), have voiced concerns, arguing that the ban unfairly penalizes ordinary users and that less restrictive measures could have been employed. Concerns have also been raised about potential BGP hijacking by Indian telecom providers, though this is disputed.

The NEET-UG exam, originally held in May, was rescheduled for June after cheating allegations emerged. The NTA maintains that any claims of available leaked papers are fraudulent and that measures are in place to secure the examination process. The ban is intended to remain in effect until the conclusion of the exams on June 22.