Student Hacks IIT Kanpur Website After Being Denied Admission; Institute Decides To Test His Skills | Education and Career News
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While an FIR against the student was initially being considered, IIT Kanpur Director Professor Manindra Agrawal decided to take a different approach. Here’s what happened.
The incident reportedly occurred after the student failed to secure admission to IIT Kanpur’s newly launched Bachelor’s programme in Cyber Security. (File Photo/X/@agrawalmanindra)
A rejection over admission has turned into a cybersecurity controversy at IIT Kanpur. A student who was denied entry to the institute’s B.Tech Cyber Security programme allegedly hacked parts of the IIT Kanpur website and left behind a message seeking an opportunity to prove his skills.
The message displayed on the website — “Site is Hacked. All I Need is Just a Fair Chance” — created a stir at the institute and brought attention to the debate over cybersecurity talent, ethical hacking and the right way to demonstrate technical abilities.
While an FIR against the student was initially being considered, IIT Kanpur Director Professor Manindra Agrawal decided to take a different approach. Instead of immediately pursuing legal action, the institute chose to assess the student’s cybersecurity skills and invited him for a technical test.
The IIT is considering him for an internship at C3iHub. “He can aim for admission next year,” Agrawal told India Today.
The director stated the student was not selected because he lacked prior cybersecurity experience required for the course. He added that admissions for the current academic session have already been completed.
The incident reportedly occurred after the student failed to secure admission to IIT Kanpur’s newly launched Bachelor’s programme in Cyber Security. Upset over the rejection, the student allegedly accessed certain parts of the websites of IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras.
Later, the student shared screenshots of the alleged breach on social media platforms, including X and Reddit. He claimed that his intention was not to harm the institute’s systems but to showcase his technical capabilities.
The student reportedly said that he had submitted the required documents for admission and paid the necessary fees but was not given an opportunity to participate in the institute’s hackathon and was not shortlisted for the programme.
IIT Kanpur also clarified that unauthorised access to computer systems is illegal and cannot be justified as a method to prove talent. Officials said the student would be guided about responsible cybersecurity practices and ethical hacking.
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