Denied IIT admission, student hacks website; gets second chance
Kanpur: A student who allegedly hacked the websites of IIT-Kanpur and IIT Madras after being denied admission to IIT-Kanpur's newly introduced Bachelor of Cyber Security programme may be given another opportunity to prove his skills instead of facing immediate legal action.
The student reportedly left a message on the IIT-Kanpur website saying, "Site is hacked. All I need is just a fair chance."
The incident surfaced after he claimed on social media that he had gained access to parts of the official websites of both institutes following his rejection from the programme.
The student later shared screenshots of the alleged breach on X and Reddit, saying his intention was not to damage the systems but to demonstrate his cybersecurity skills.
According to his posts, he had completed the admission process, paid the application fee, uploaded all required documents and submitted evidence of his cybersecurity work. However, he claimed he was not shortlisted and was not allowed to participate in the hackathon that formed part of the admission process.
IIT-Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal told PTI that the student had not been shortlisted because he lacked prior cybersecurity experience.
"The admission process for this academic session has already concluded, so admission is not possible now. However, we will invite the student to the institute, assess his technical skills through a proper test and, if he proves his competence, give him an opportunity in the next admission cycle," Agrawal said.
He also confirmed that the student had managed to access certain sections of the official websites of IIT-Kanpur and IIT Madras.
Agrawal said senior faculty members and engineers have been asked to meet the student and explain that unauthorised access to computer systems is illegal and should not be repeated.
An IIT-Kanpur official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the institute had initially considered filing an FIR. However, it decided to first verify the student's claims and evaluate his technical capabilities before deciding on further action.
IIT-Kanpur cites past support for cybersecurity talent
The official noted that IIT-Kanpur has previously encouraged promising cybersecurity researchers. Earlier this year, the institute offered a position at its C3iHub to a student who identified vulnerabilities in the CBSE's online screen-marking portal.
The incident has sparked debate over how educational institutions should identify and encourage exceptional cybersecurity talent while ensuring that ethical hacking and cyber laws are respected.