/Guides
Plain-English guides to the DPDP Act
Written from the official text, one audience at a time. These guides are interpretation, not legal advice; every point links to the provision it rests on.
What is the DPDP Act? A plain-English introduction
A plain-English introduction to India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, covering what it applies to, who it names and how the…
Who does the DPDP Act apply to?
How section 3 draws the boundary of the DPDP Act, what falls outside it, and every exemption in section 17, explained in plain English.
Key dates: when each part of the DPDP Act and Rules comes into force
The three commencement dates set by G.S.R. 843(E) and rule 1 of the DPDP Rules, 2025, with what is live now and what is still to come.
The DPDP Rules, 2025 explained: what each rule does
A rule-by-rule walkthrough of the DPDP Rules, 2025, with the parent section of the Act for each rule and a summary of all seven schedules.
Consent, notice and Consent Managers under the DPDP Act
How consent must be obtained, what the notice must say, how consent is withdrawn, and what a registered Consent Manager does.
Data Fiduciary obligations: a plain-English checklist
Every obligation section 8 places on a Data Fiduciary, with the rules on security, breach reporting, erasure, contacts and grievances.
Children's data and persons with disability under the DPDP Act
Verifiable parental consent, the ban on tracking and targeted advertising at children, guardian verification, and the exemptions in the…
Significant Data Fiduciaries: designation and extra duties
How the Central Government designates a Significant Data Fiduciary and the extra duties that follow, including the twelve-month DPIA and…
Your rights and duties as a Data Principal
What an individual can ask a Data Fiduciary for under the DPDP Act, how those requests are made and answered, and the duties the Act…
Cross-border data transfers and processing by the State
How the DPDP Act and Rules treat sending personal data outside India, and the separate rules that apply when the State processes personal…
Penalties, enforcement and how the Data Protection Board works
How the Data Protection Board of India inquires into breaches, what penalties the Schedule sets, and how appeals to the Appellate Tribunal…
Employee data under the DPDP Act: HR, payroll and workplace processing
What the DPDP Act and Rules say about processing employee personal data, including the employment legitimate use, notice, security…