What Rights Do Parents Really Have Under DPDPA and What Schools Must Be Ready For

A child’s data belongs to the family, schools are only custodians

As conversations around data protection grow louder, parents are asking more informed and confident questions about how schools handle their child’s personal information. India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) has formally recognised something parents have long felt that a child’s data belongs to the family, schools are only custodians.

This shift has important implications for schools, playschools, colleges, and universities. Understanding parental rights under DPDPA is not just about compliance, it is about preparing for a more transparent, accountable relationship with families.

Why Parental Rights Are Central to Child Data Protection

Children cannot exercise data rights themselves. Under DPDPA, parents or lawful guardians act on their behalf. This means that every decision a school makes about collecting, storing, or sharing data is ultimately answerable to parents.

The law strengthens the parent–school relationship by ensuring that families are not kept in the dark. Schools must now be ready to explain, justify, and—when required—correct their data practices.

When handled well, this transparency builds trust. When handled poorly, it creates friction.

The Right to Know: Transparency Is No Longer Optional

Parents have the right to know:

• What personal data the school holds about their child
• Why that data was collected
• How it is being used
• Who it is shared with
• How long it will be retained

This requires schools to move away from vague explanations like “for school purposes” and toward clear, simple privacy notices.

Transparency is the first test of DPDPA readiness, and often the first question parents ask.

The Right to Access and Correction

Under DPDPA, parents can request access to their child’s data and ask for corrections if information is inaccurate or outdated. For schools, this means having systems that allow data to be retrieved without confusion or delay. Records scattered across emails, personal devices, or informal folders make this difficult and increase risk.
Schools that maintain organised, centralised data systems find it much easier to respond calmly and confidently to such requests.

The Right to Erasure: When Parents Say “Delete”

One of the most misunderstood rights under DPDPA is the right to erasure.
Parents can ask schools to delete personal data when it is no longer necessary for the stated purpose. This could apply to old photos, outdated records, or information that is no longer relevant. Schools must balance this right with legitimate academic or legal retention needs, but they must also be able to explain their decision clearly.

Ignoring or delaying erasure requests damages trust far more than the request itself.

Consent Withdrawal: A Real Test of School Readiness

DPDPA allows parents to withdraw consent at any time. This is especially relevant for:

• Photo and video sharing
• App-based learning tools
• Communication platforms
• Public-facing content

When consent is withdrawn, schools must stop processing data for that purpose and ensure it is not reused accidentally.

This is where informal systems fail. Schools that rely on WhatsApp groups or shared drives struggle to enforce consent changes. Privacy-first systems make this manageable.

Grievances and Accountability

Parents also have the right to raise grievances if they believe their child’s data has been mishandled.

Schools must be able to show:

• Clear processes
• Responsible handling
• Documented actions
• Willingness to correct mistakes

Under DPDPA, silence or defensiveness is no longer acceptable. Accountability is part of compliance.

Why This Changes the Parent–School Relationship

DPDPA doesn’t create conflict between parents and schools, it redefines partnership. Parents are no longer passive recipients of information. They are informed participants. Schools that understand this shift find that conversations become clearer, calmer, and more collaborative.

When schools respect parental rights proactively, issues are resolved early — often before they escalate.

Preparing Schools for Confident Conversations

Schools that are DPDP-ready don’t fear parent questions. They welcome them.

Preparation includes:

• Clear documentation
• Staff awareness
• Defined response processes
• Secure systems
• Transparent communication

This preparation turns legal rights into everyday confidence.

Parental Rights Strengthen, Not Weaken, Schools

DPDPA gives parents stronger rights, but it also gives schools an opportunity.

• An opportunity to show responsibility.
• An opportunity to build trust.
• An opportunity to lead with transparency.

Schools that embrace parental rights under DPDPA will not only comply with the law, they will strengthen their reputation as safe, modern, and student-first institutions.

Get Your School Ready for Parent Data Requests. Build clear processes, train your staff, and handle parental rights confidently under DPDPA. Book a Free DPDP Readiness Consultation