Nisarga Adhikary’s IIT Kanpur Role Puts Cybersecurity Careers in the Spotlight: Courses, Salaries and Opportunities

Nisarga Adhikary, the teenager who gained national attention for identifying vulnerabilities in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) Online Submission of Marks (OSM) portal, has secured a role as an OSINT and Threat Intelligence Engineer at C3iHub, IIT Kanpur.

His journey from responsible vulnerability disclosure to working with one of India’s leading cybersecurity and cyber-defense research centers has sparked renewed interest in cybersecurity careers. Adhikary first came into the spotlight after reporting security flaws in CBSE’s OSM portal and later attracted attention by demonstrating alleged vulnerabilities through a “Bad Apple” animation displayed on a CBSE portal.

His success story reflects the increasing importance of cybersecurity professionals in protecting digital systems, networks, and sensitive information across industries.

Where can students study cybersecurity in India?

Several prestigious institutions across India offer specialized cybersecurity programs designed to prepare students for careers in digital security.

• IIT Kanpur: Online PG Diploma in Cybersecurity and Advanced Cybersecurity Certification Program.
• IIT Roorkee: Advanced Certification Programme in Cybersecurity in partnership with Imarticus Learning.
• IIT Ropar: Cybersecurity Essentials Certificate Programme developed with TCS iON.
• IIT Hyderabad: Certification Programme in AI and Cybersecurity.
• IIT Delhi: Interdisciplinary M.Tech. in Cyber Security.
• IIT Patna: BS Programme in AI and Cybersecurity without requiring JEE qualification.
• NIT Karnataka: M.Tech. in Information Security.
• BITS Pilani (WILP): Online M.Sc. in Cyber Security.
• IIIT Bangalore: M.Tech. in Information Security.
• Anna University: M.E. in Information Security.

Popular cybersecurity career options in India

The cybersecurity sector offers a wide range of job roles with attractive salaries and long-term growth potential.

Why cybersecurity is becoming a top career choice

As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, organizations across government, finance, healthcare, education, and technology sectors are investing heavily in cybersecurity infrastructure. This has created a growing demand for professionals who can identify vulnerabilities, prevent attacks, and protect critical systems.

Unlike many traditional careers, cybersecurity rewards practical skills, certifications, problem-solving abilities, and continuous learning. Professionals can work as ethical hackers, security analysts, digital forensics experts, threat intelligence specialists, cloud security engineers, and security architects.

Growing opportunities for young talent

Nisarga Adhikary’s achievement demonstrates that age is no barrier in the cybersecurity industry. Young researchers with strong technical skills and a commitment to ethical security practices can build successful careers while contributing to the safety of digital systems.

With businesses, governments, and individuals becoming increasingly dependent on technology, cybersecurity remains one of the most future-ready and rapidly expanding career fields. For students interested in technology and problem-solving, the sector offers excellent job prospects, competitive salaries, and opportunities to make a real-world impact.