---
title: "child: meaning under the DPDP Act"
url: https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/glossary/child/
description: "\"child\" as defined in section 2(f) of the DPDP Act, 2023: the official definition, its plain meaning, and where the term is used."
kind: term
updated: 2026-09-09
official_source: https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2024/06/2bf1f0e9f04e6fb4f8fef35e82c42aa5.pdf
text_type: official-text-plus-interpretation
publisher: MYND Integrated Solutions
license: Official Government of India texts are reproduced verbatim (public domain / open government data). Interpretation is CC BY 4.0, MYND Integrated Solutions.
disclaimer: Not legal advice. Official text prevails over any interpretation.
html_version: https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/glossary/child/
---
# child

## Official definition

**Act, s. 2(f):** (f) “child” means an individual who has not completed the age of eighteen years;


## Interpretation in plain English (not legal advice)

> This is a plain-English interpretation of the official text, prepared by the DPDP Wiki editorial team. It is not the law and not legal advice, and it may be incomplete or wrong. Always rely on the official text of the Act, the Rules and the notifications, and take advice from a qualified professional for your situation.

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act defines a "child" as any individual who has not yet completed eighteen years of age. This means that from the moment of birth up until the day a person turns eighteen, they are legally considered a child under this law. Once an individual reaches their eighteenth birthday, they have completed eighteen years of age and no longer fall under this specific definition.\n\nThis definition creates a strict, uniform age limit for the entire Act. The law does not create different age tiers or sliding scales for teenagers versus younger children. By setting the cutoff exactly at the completion of eighteen years, the Act provides a clear standard for when special rules regarding children apply.\n\nWhenever the Act mentions a "child," it is referring exclusively to this age group. This definition is important because other sections of the law place specific obligations on a Data Fiduciary (an entity that determines the purpose and means of processing personal data) when they process the personal data of a child.

### Key points

- A child is defined as any individual who has not completed eighteen years of age. (2(f))
- The definition applies a single age cutoff without any intermediate age groups. (2(f))
- An individual ceases to be a child under the Act on their eighteenth birthday. (2(f))

### Common misreadings

- Assuming the Act has different rules for teenagers under eighteen; the definition treats all individuals who have not completed eighteen years of age exactly the same.
- Thinking an eighteen-year-old is still a child; the text specifies the individual must not have completed the age of eighteen years.

*Interpretation prepared 2026-09-09 from the official text only; the official text prevails.*

## Used in

- [s. 9 Processing of personal data of children](https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/act/section-9-processing-of-personal-data-of-children/)
- [s. 40 Power to make rules](https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/act/section-40-power-to-make-rules/)
- [r. 10 Verifiable consent for processing of personal data of child](https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/rules/rule-10-verifiable-consent-for-processing-of-personal-data-of-child/)
- [r. 12 Exemptions from certain obligations applicable to processing of personal data of child](https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/rules/rule-12-exemptions-from-certain-obligations-applicable-to-processing/)