When the Government of India called Telegram the “new dark web,” it was not merely a label – it was an indictment. The nefarious elements that have colonized this platform have, over the years, constructed a thriving criminal ecosystem that preys upon the hopes, ambitions and aspirations of over 22 lakh students and the very sanctity of India’s most competitive examinations—at most times the passport to a glorious career ahead.
This time around, these very sinister elements that thrive in the murky corners of cyberspace laid eyes on the most unsuspecting of victims – India’s thriving student community – and have turned their years of toil and honest ambition into a hunting ground for fraud. Their only crime being that they dared to dream and that too dream big. Equipped with no more than a smartphone and years of hard work, these students had become entangled in a carefully constructed web of deceit that stretched from Telegram channels all the way to the dark web. The NEET-UGC paper leak alone directly impacted over 22 lakh students who had to take the examination for the second time, the report said. Recently, a digital risk monitoring company— Athenian Tech—has published an in-depth Threat Intelligence Report, on the matter, which offers an in-depth analysis of the exam paper leak and fraud networks on Telegram and the dark web behind such a heinous act, thereby exposing the full anatomy of this profoundly sinister criminal operation.
The modus operandi. To put it simply, the scam happens in three carefully planned stages. The crooks create public Telegram channels with names strikingly similar to the exams as bait to hook anxious students looking for that extra edge. Secondly, they build trust by giving sample papers, study notes and useful material to convince the students of their credibility. Thirdly and most insidiously, they create fear and urgency just before the examination saying that most of the questions will be from the sample paper “they have”. Once the trap is laid, the direct demand for money starts – sometimes up to ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh for one paper. Even if the papers are complete fake, panicked students end up paying without asking too many questions, making them easy prey.
The marketplace. In fact, this criminal enterprise goes much beyond NEET,” says the report. Question papers for board exams are being sold on Telegram for anything between ₹500 and ₹15,000. Paid students are added to private groups and questions are shared – real or fake. These nefarious elements are targeting some of the most prestigious exams in the country— UPSC Civil Services, SSC CGL, NDA, IBPS PO and State Board SSLC examinations. No aspiration, it seems, is too sacred for these con men to prey on.
The darker depths. The report by Athenian Tech revealed an even darker side to this criminal ecosystem beyond Telegram – a dark web marketplace called India Exam Papers Hub where papers for major exams like UPSC, SSC CGL, NDA and IBPS were openly being sold for between $60 and $500, with only Bitcoin accepted as payment. To be more specific, this is not a fringe operation – it is an organized, monetized and deliberately evasive criminal network meant to destroy the sanctity and the credibility of India’s examination system from the inside out.
The wake-up call. The government imposed a temporary ban on Telegram across the country till June 22 invoking section 69A of the IT Act, 2000. This decision was later upheld by the Delhi High Court after examining the evidence. Strict security measures including biometrics, facial recognition and CCTV were in place at the re-NEET-UGC examination that was held on 21 June. The report suggests ongoing surveillance of social media and the dark web especially during examination periods, special watermarks on question papers to trace leaks to the source, and immediate reporting of suspicious channels to the police and examination agencies. When the dreams of an entire generation are up for sale, the only answer is zero tolerance—and the determination to ensure that no student ever has to buy what could have been rightfully earned through hardwork and dedication.