A student who allegedly hacked the websites of the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) and IIT Madras after being denied admission to IIT-K's newly launched Bachelor of Cyber Security programme may get another opportunity at the institute.

Instead of initiating legal proceedings, IIT-K is considering assessing the student's technical abilities for a possible opportunity in the next admission cycle.

The student allegedly left a message on the IIT-K website that read: "Site is hacked. All I need is just a fair chance."

Student Claims Rejection Prompted Website Breach

The incident came to light earlier this week after the student claimed on social media that he had breached the websites of IIT-K and IIT Madras following his rejection from the undergraduate cybersecurity programme.

He later shared screenshots of the alleged intrusion on X and Reddit, saying his objective was not to cause harm but to demonstrate his capabilities.

According to his posts, he had completed the application process, paid the prescribed fee, uploaded all required documents and submitted proof of his cybersecurity work.

However, he claimed he was not shortlisted and was denied the opportunity to participate in the hackathon that formed part of the admission process.

IIT-K Director Explains Rejection

IIT-K Director Manindra Agrawal told PTI that the student was not shortlisted because he lacked prior experience in cybersecurity.

"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 gained access to certain sections of the official websites of IIT-K and IIT Madras.

Institute To Counsel Student

Agrawal said senior faculty members and engineers have been asked to interact with the student and counsel him that unauthorised access to computer systems is illegal and should never be repeated.

IIT-K Puts Legal Action On Hold

An IIT-K official, speaking on the 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 taking any further action.

The official also noted that IIT-K has previously encouraged young cybersecurity talent.

Earlier this year, the institute offered a position at its C3iHub to a youth who had identified vulnerabilities in the CBSE's online screen-marking portal.