Lok Sabha Debates
Issue Regarding Breach Of Candidate Data Appeared For The Neet Examination. on 25 July, 2018
Sixteenth Loksabha an> Title: Issue regarding breach of candidate data appeared for the NEET examination.
HON. SPEAKER: Now, ‘Zero Hour’.
… (Interruptions)
डॉ. किरीटसोमैया (मुम्बईउत्तरपूर्व):माननीयस्पीकरमहोदया,पश्चिमबंगालमें…(व्यवधान)
माननीयअध्यक्ष : मैं मौकादूंगी।जराशांतिरखिए।
…( व्यवधान)
SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL (ALAPPUZHA): Madam, I would like to invite the attention of the Government to the massive breach of candidate data who appeared for the NEET examination this year. As per the reports, the data is available in certain websites for a price. It has been pointed out that the data of around two lakh students have been leaked. This is a serious issue of theft of personal data that has compromised the privacy of candidates across the country.
This also highlights the serious lack of safeguard to prevent data breach. This also questions the ability of the CBSE to ensure the sanctity of the examination process. The PTI reported that the names, phone numbers, and email addresses, besides NEET scores and rankings, of over two lakh candidates were available online for a price. The buyers were willing to pay up to Rs. 2 lakh for this personal data of students. More than 1.3 million candidates appeared for the exam this year out of which data for 2,50,000 students is available for anyone willing to pay lakhs of rupees for access to this data. This is a serious issue of theft of privacy.
At a time when the debate on privacy and data protection is on full stream in the country with a panel headed by Justice Srikrishna set to draft a privacy Bill, the website’s use of people’s private information comes as a major threat to privacy.
Last year also, CBSE examination paper leaked. With this type of leaking, people are losing credibility of the examinations. Therefore, this is one of the serious issues. The Government should come forward and put up an enquiry on that. These types of things should not be repeated.
HON. SPEAKER:
Dr. P.K. Biju, Shri M. B. Rajesh and Adv. Joice George are permitted to associate with the issue raised by Shri K.C. Venugopal.