Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has strongly criticized the Centre's decision to temporarily block the messaging platform Telegram in anticipation of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2026 re-examination. Dipke, speaking to reporters in Maharashtra's Hingoli district, likened the government's action to "closing a road because there are potholes instead of repairing it."
Criticism Over Telegram Ban for NEET Retest
The Centre had imposed a temporary restriction on Telegram, set to last until June 22, just ahead of the NEET-UG re-test scheduled for June 21. Authorities cited the platform's alleged misuse by cheating rackets and fraudsters circulating fake question papers and misleading students as the reason for the ban.
Dipke, who was en route to a student protest in Delhi, argued that the government was focusing on a technological restriction rather than addressing the deeper, systemic issues contributing to examination irregularities. He emphasized that banning an entire platform inconveniences millions of legitimate users without necessarily solving the core problem of exam-related fraud.
Call for Systemic Reforms
The CJP founder also voiced significant concerns regarding the immense pressure faced by students amidst recurring controversies surrounding competitive examinations. He highlighted that incidents of student suicides persisted despite the decision to hold a re-examination, urging policymakers to prioritize comprehensive systemic reforms over platform bans.
The government invoked emergency powers under the Information Technology Act to implement the ban, describing it as a preventive measure aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the examination process. The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination is being conducted with enhanced security protocols to prevent malpractice and ensure a fair and transparent assessment for affected candidates.