A student who was denied admission to the newly launched Bachelor of Cyber Security (BCyber) programme at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and IIT Madras allegedly hacked into the official websites of both institutes, claiming the action was aimed at demonstrating his cybersecurity skills and seeking a fair opportunity.
The student had reportedly completed the application process, paid the required fees and submitted details of his cybersecurity portfolio. However, he was not shortlisted for the initial hackathon phase of the admission process, which was part of the selection procedure for the specialised undergraduate programme, reported PTI.
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Following the rejection, the student allegedly gained unauthorised access to sections of the IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras websites and shared screenshots of the breach on social media platforms. A message left on the defaced IIT Kanpur page reportedly read, "Site is hacked. All I need is just a fair chance."
The student later claimed responsibility for the incident, stating that his intention was to highlight his technical abilities rather than cause damage.
IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal reportedly said, "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."
Although the institute initially considered filing a First Information Report (FIR), officials decided to pause legal action while verifying the student's claims and assessing his technical capabilities. IIT Kanpur is now considering inviting the student to the campus for a formal technical evaluation.
Faculty members and engineers have also been assigned to counsel the student while making it clear that unauthorised access to computer systems is illegal and should not be repeated.
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Highlighting the institute's history of backing young tech talent, the officials noted that IIT Kanpur previously hired a youth at its C3iHub after they successfully flagged vulnerabilities in the CBSE online screen-marking portal.
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