UPSC Mains 2024 GS3 Q10: model answer
Describe the context and salient features of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
What the question wants
Background of the DPDP Act and its key provisions.
How to structure it
Intro: Puttaswamy and growing digital economy. Body: (1) context (Srikrishna Committee, earlier Bills); (2) key features: consent, rights, duties; (3) exemptions and Data Protection Board; (4) criticisms. Conclusion.
- 1(1) context (Srikrishna Committee, earlier Bills)
- 2(2) key features: consent, rights, duties
- 3(3) exemptions and Data Protection Board
- 4(4) criticisms
Model answer
Context
- Puttaswamy (2017) made privacy a fundamental right and asked for a data law.
- Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee (2018); the 2019 Bill was withdrawn in 2022.
- Over 90 crore internet users and frequent data breaches.
Salient features
- Covers digital personal data processed in India, and abroad if offering goods or services to people in India.
- Consent must be free, specific and informed; Consent Managers allowed; 'legitimate uses' without consent.
- Rights of data principals: access, correction, erasure, grievance redress, nomination.
- Duties of data fiduciaries: security safeguards, breach notification; extra duties for Significant Data Fiduciaries.
- Verifiable parental consent for children under 18.
- Data Protection Board of India; penalties up to ₹250 crore.
- Cross-border transfer allowed except to countries the Centre restricts.
Concerns: wide exemptions for the State and amendment of the RTI Act.
The DPDP Rules, 2025 now set the timeline for implementation.
Keywords, cases and data to drop in
Puttaswamy consent Data Protection Board ₹250 crore SDF
Where most answers lose marks
- Mixing provisions of the 2019 Bill.
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5 Oct 2026Learn the concept
Question text as printed in the official UPSC question paper: https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/QP_CSM_2024_GenStud_III_03102024.pdf The model answer is original Battle IAS work; use it to learn structure, not to memorise.