The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 is India’s new privacy law that governs how personal data is collected, stored, used, and shared. While most early discussions focused on technology companies and corporates, educational institutions are equally impacted by this law and in many cases even more exposed.

Schools, colleges, and universities handle the personal data of thousands of students, parents, and staff members. A single institution may store information of 2,000 to 10,000 students at any given time. During the admission season, the number of records handled may become five to ten times higher because of enquiries and applications. A large share of this data belongs to children, which makes protection even more important.

The Act requires institutions to think carefully about how they collect data, how long they keep it, who can access it, and what happens when something goes wrong. This is not only about legal compliance. It is also about trust, reputation, and the safety of students.

Why DPDP matters for schools and universities

Educational institutions handle personal data at almost every stage of the student journey. From enquiry and admission to exams, transport, hostel, and alumni management, data constantly moves between departments and systems. Even day to day communication through emails and messaging groups involves personal information.

Education has also become deeply digital. Institutions now use online admission portals, learning platforms, mobile applications, examination systems, biometric attendance, transport tracking, cloud storage, and fee payment systems. These tools bring convenience, but they also create multiple points where data can be leaked or misused if controls are weak.

A single incident involving the personal data of 500 to 1,000 students can lead to complaints from parents, negative publicity, and disruption of academic activities. Since schools and colleges deal directly with families every day, the reputational impact is immediate and personal.

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act therefore pushes institutions to become more disciplined and transparent in how they handle data. It expects them to justify why each piece of data is collected, limit unnecessary collection, secure stored data, and respect the rights of students and parents.

What data educational institutions handle and why it is sensitive

Personal data in education is extensive and often very detailed. It goes far beyond names and phone numbers. When combined together, this information can reveal the full profile of a child or young adult.

Institutions typically handle:

• enquiry and admission forms
• identity documents and photographs
• parent and student contact information
• marks, grades, answer sheets, and feedback
• fee payment records and bank references
• transport routes and hostel details
• CCTV recordings from classrooms and buses
• biometric attendance records
• medical history, counselling notes, or special support information
• data inside learning management systems and mobile applications
  

This data is considered highly sensitive for three main reasons.

First, a large percentage belongs to minors who may not fully understand the consequences of data sharing. Second, the data is spread across multiple systems, vendors, and departments, which increases the chance of leakage. Third, informal sharing of student lists and records through email and messaging groups is common in many institutions.

Because of these factors, the Act expects educational institutions to treat student data with a higher level of care than ordinary administrative information.

What educational institutions must do to comply

The Act does not expect perfection overnight. What it expects is a sincere and systematic effort to protect personal data and respect individual rights. Institutions can begin with practical steps instead of trying to do everything at once.

Understand what data you collect and where it is stored

The first step is visibility. Institutions should identify:

• what personal data is collected
• which departments collect it
• where it is stored physically or digitally
• who has access to it
• which external vendors or applications receive it

This exercise often reveals old spreadsheets, unused portals, or duplicate records that were not known to management.

Collect data only for clear purposes and with consent

Students and parents should clearly know:

• why particular information is being collected
• how it will be used
• whether it will be shared with any external party
• how long it is likely to be retained

Consent should be written in simple language. It should not be hidden inside long documents. People should also have a simple way to withdraw consent where applicable.

Protect personal data with reasonable security measures

Institutions should limit access to sensitive data and avoid storing official records on personal devices. Strong passwords, regular data backups, secure servers, and well configured cloud platforms play an important role. Very often, incidents do not happen because of hackers but because data is accidentally shared in messaging groups or emails.

Define retention and deletion practices

Institutions should not retain personal data indefinitely just because storage is easy. Once the academic purpose is completed, such as graduation or completion of a process, records that are no longer needed should be reviewed and deleted safely.

Pay special attention to children’s data

When students are minors, consent must come from parents or lawful guardians. Activities such as unnecessary tracking, profiling, or targeted advertising through student applications should be carefully examined and avoided wherever they may harm the child.

Penalties and risks for non compliance

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act provides for penalties up to ₹250 crore in severe cases, especially where large scale or repeated violations occur. Even smaller incidents may attract fines, notices, or instructions from authorities to improve controls.

However, the biggest impact for educational institutions is often reputational rather than financial. A data breach involving student records can rapidly erode the trust of parents and students. Admissions in the following year may be affected, and the institution may face questions from management boards and governing bodies.

Responding to an incident also consumes significant time. Internal investigations, communication with parents, interaction with authorities, and corrective actions can disrupt normal academic functioning for weeks. Prevention is usually far less costly than managing the consequences.

How Danush Systems and Solutions supports educational institutions with DPDP

Many educational institutions know they must comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act but are unsure where to begin. Some do not have dedicated legal, compliance, or cybersecurity teams. Existing IT teams are often occupied with daily operations such as exams, admissions, and technical support.

This is where the right partner becomes valuable.

Danush Systems and Solutions works closely with schools, colleges, and universities to help them move from awareness to practical implementation. The focus is on clear, actionable steps that suit real educational environments rather than only theoretical frameworks.

Danush typically supports institutions with:

• identifying what student and parent data is collected across systems
• mapping where data is stored and who has access to it
• locating high risk areas such as admission systems, apps, and exam platforms
• strengthening security controls, backups, and access permissions
• designing simple consent formats and privacy communications
• defining retention and deletion practices for old records
• training teachers and administrative staff in safe data handling
• providing ongoing guidance as technology and rules evolve

Final note

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act is not meant to create fear. It is an opportunity for educational institutions to modernise the way they handle information and reinforce the trust of parents and students. Institutions that start early will be better prepared, more confident, and seen as responsible guardians of student data.

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