CURRENT AFFAIRS | JUNE 3, 2026
The CBSE’s newly-launched On-Screen Marking (OSM) portal for Class 12 re-evaluation came under sustained cyberattack within hours of going live on June 1. CBSE reported 1.5 million hits in just 10 minutes and one lakh file-access attempts by malicious actors. The portal launched a day late owing to attack-induced backend overhaul — and the incident lands amid the OSM glitches row that saw former Chairman Rahul Singh moved out.
Constitutional & Statutory Framework
- Article 21: Right to Privacy as Fundamental Right — KS Puttaswamy v UoI (2017).
- Information Technology Act, 2000: §43A (data protection liability), §66 (hacking), §66F (cyber terrorism), §70 (protected systems).
- Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023: Operationalises informational privacy.
- CERT-In: Under MeitY, nodal cyber-incident response body.
- I4C: Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under MHA.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Portal launched | June 1, 2026 |
| Attack intensity | 1.5 million hits in 10 minutes |
| File-access attempts | 1 lakh |
| Outgoing Chairman | Rahul Singh |
| New Chairman | Varun Bhardwaj |
| Statutes invoked | IT Act §43A, §66F; DPDP Act 2023 |
CLAT Angle — Legal Reasoning Hooks
- Puttaswamy three-fold test: Legality + necessity + proportionality — applies when State systems mishandle student data.
- State liability under §43A: Can CBSE (a body corporate?) be liable for compensation if sensitive personal data leaks?
- Cyber terrorism scope: §66F requires intent to threaten national integrity — DoS on an exam portal sits at the borderline.
- DPDP Act exemptions: Government data fiduciaries enjoy substantial carve-outs — a contested constitutional issue.
Mnemonic — ‘OSM HIT’
On-Screen Marking portal · Section 43A + 66F invoked · Million-and-a-half hits in 10 min · Hacker file-access attempts 1 lakh · IT Act 2000 + DPDP 2023 · Takeover by new Chairman Bhardwaj
Why It Matters for CLAT 2027
This is the perfect storm of Puttaswamy privacy, IT Act offences, and DPDP Act 2023 — three of CLAT’s most frequently tested constitutional and statutory topics. Expect passage-based Legal Reasoning on cyber terrorism thresholds and data-fiduciary liability.
Test Your Knowledge
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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