Excerpt from The Indian Express Article, Published on July 25, 2025
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has become the latest focus in cybersecurity conversations after a major data breach hit its servers in April 2025. The ICAR, which serves as the country’s apex body for agricultural research and education, lost access to a significant volume of sensitive data relevant to recruitment, ongoing research projects, and internal administration.
According to official sources and multiple reports, the breach impacted ICAR’s main server in Delhi and its replication server at NAARM (National Academy of Agricultural Research Management) in Hyderabad. The loss includes details ranging from job applications and recruitment data for roles at varying levels—such as Technical Officers up to Deputy Directors General—to ongoing scientific projects and email communications between researchers and administrators.
ICAR scientists from across the nation, including those in Lucknow, Karnal, Hyderabad, Pune, and Delhi, noted that widespread technical challenges have persisted since the incident. Many voiced concern over the disappearance of critical project repositories and the disruption to regular operations. A six-member committee was established earlier this month to analyze the causes of the ICAR data centre’s failure and to propose recommendations to prevent further breaches. The panel is expected to submit a detailed report by July 31, 2025.
M.L. Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director General of ICAR, confirmed the breach, stating, “A few months back, there was some hacking of our website. Presently, everything is normal. The Ministry has constituted a committee in a follow-up of our data policy. That is a continuous process.” However, as of late July, not all ICAR digital services have been restored, with some websites still affected.
The compromised data primarily concerns the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (IASRI), and NAARM—all vital wings under ICAR’s umbrella. The event underscores the pressing need to bolster data security practices among major research entities in India.
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