A student who says he was denied admission to IIT-Kanpur’s Bachelor of Cyber Security programme allegedly accessed and hacked the websites of IIT-Kanpur and IIT Madras, according to multiple reports. The claim came to public attention after the student posted on social media platforms, including Reddit and X, sharing screenshots and stating that his intent was to demonstrate cybersecurity capability rather than cause harm. He is also reported to have left a message on the IIT-Kanpur website saying the site was hacked and that he wanted “a fair chance.”

IIT-Kanpur director Manindra Agrawal is quoted as saying the applicant was not shortlisted because he lacked prior cybersecurity experience. While the admission process for the current academic session has concluded and immediate admission is not possible, IIT-Kanpur officials indicate they may invite the student to take a test and, if he demonstrates competence, consider offering him a seat in the next admission cycle. An IIT-Kanpur official said the institute initially considered filing a First Information Report but chose to first verify the student’s claims and assess his technical skills before deciding on further action. Both institutes are treating unauthorized access to systems as illegal and advising against repeating it.