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A teenager who recently drew attention to alleged vulnerabilities in the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) on-screen marking (OSM) system has secured a position with one of India's premier institutes. Nineteen-year-old Nisarga Adhikary has been appointed as an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Threat Intelligence Engineer at C3iHub, the cybersecurity and technology innovation hub of IIT Kanpur. 

The appointment comes shortly after Adhikary published a blog highlighting security concern related to the CBSE's OSM platform, a move that brought him into the national spotlight. 

How a Blog Post Led to an IIT Kanpur Opportunity 

Adhikary's blog, published on May 22, reportedly caught the attention of IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal. Impressed by the teenager's technical skills and cybersecurity knowledge, Agrawal reached out to him, leading to his recruitment by the institute's cybersecurity team. 

Confirming the appointment, Agrawal said, “Nisarga Adhikary has been appointed as an engineer in our cybersecurity team. A few years ago, we had similarly recruited a couple of young engineers for the same team. I am not sure whether he is the youngest recruit at IIT Kanpur, but he is certainly among the youngest engineers to have been hired by the institute," Agrawal added. 

CBSE OSM Row Drew National Attention 

The concerns raised by Adhikary became part of the larger debate surrounding the implementation of the CBSE's on-screen marking system. 

According to a report by the Hindustan Times (HT), the rollout process faced several hurdles. The report stated that after the first tender failed to attract bids and the second round did not result in a successful outcome, technical requirements were reportedly relaxed during the third bidding process. The contract was eventually awarded to Coempt Edu Teck. 

HT further reported that some cybersecurity certificates submitted by the company were linked to a different client's deployment of the same software in a pre-production staged environment. Another certificate referenced in the report was nearly two years old. 

What Role Will Nisarga Adhikary Play? 

Having completed his Class 12 examinations this year, Adhikary will work with IIT Kanpur's cybersecurity division on a contractual basis. 

His responsibilities are expected to include analysing publicly available information, identifying vulnerabilities in websites and applications, and assisting organisations in addressing security weaknesses before they can be exploited. 

Speaking about the opportunity, Adhikary said, “I am excited about this opportunity because it is the first time I will be working in a security-focused role. In my earlier jobs, I primarily worked as a software engineer, while cybersecurity was more of a hobby," Adhikary said. 

Early Passion for Coding and Cybersecurity 

Adhikary's interest in technology began at a very young age. Despite coming from a family with no professional background in cybersecurity, he developed an early fascination with computers and coding. 

Sharing his journey, he said, “I started coding when I was six or seven years old, but I became seriously involved in cybersecurity and began participating in Capture the Flag (CTF) and other cybersecurity competitions when I was in Class 6," he said. 

His appointment highlights how technical talent and independent research can open doors to opportunities at some of India's leading institutions.