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The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India’s premier institution for agricultural research and education, suffered a major data breach earlier this year, affecting critical information related to recruitment, research projects, and administrative operations. The breach, which occurred in April, compromised servers based in Delhi and their backup counterparts at the National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) in Hyderabad.

According to internal documents reviewed by The Indian Express, ICAR has set up a six-member committee to assess the incident, recommend safeguards, and propose measures to prevent future breaches. The committee, headed by Dr. D. K. Yadava, Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), has been asked to submit its report by July 31. However, members confirmed that the panel is yet to hold its first meeting.

The data loss appears to be extensive. Sources reveal that information linked to the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (IASRI), and NAARM has been affected. Recruitment data, job applications, research project submissions by scientists, financial records, and internal communications are among the information that has reportedly gone missing.

“A significant chunk of critical information, including recruitment details for positions ranging from Technical Officers to Deputy Directors General (DDG), is not traceable. Email communications and project repositories have also vanished from both primary and backup servers,” a senior scientist told The Indian Express.

ICAR scientists from across the country—including Lucknow, Karnal, Pune, Hyderabad, and Delhi—confirmed persistent technical issues with the organization’s digital infrastructure. “This is not just a temporary email outage. We are dealing with complete loss of key research and administrative data,” said another scientist, raising concerns about long-term impacts on ICAR’s operational continuity.

ICAR Secretary and Director General, Dr. M. L. Jat, acknowledged the breach. “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,” he said.

The primary ICAR website (icar.org.in) was reportedly restored by mid-May. However, another official website (icar.gov.in) continues to remain non-functional.

The issue was formally discussed during the Annual General Meeting of the ICAR Society, chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 7. It was during this meeting that the formation of the special committee was announced.

Despite the gravity of the situation, several senior officials contacted for comment either declined to speak or maintained silence. Dr. R. C. Agrawal, former DDG of ICAR and acting director at NAARM, stated he was no longer in a position to comment post-superannuation. The directors of IASRI and NAARM also declined to provide details.

ICAR, which recently celebrated its 97th Foundation Day on July 16, plays a central role in agricultural innovation and policy in India. The data breach has cast a shadow over the institution’s digital resilience and brought urgent focus to cybersecurity practices within key government research bodies.

As the committee prepares to begin its review, the extent of damage and the roadmap for recovery remain uncertain.

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Source: The Indian Express