Rule 15: Exemptions for Research, Archiving, and Statistical Purposes
Rule 15 recognizes that not all processing of personal data serves commercial or service-related goals. Sometimes, data is required for research, archiving, or statistical purposes, and in such cases, certain exemptions are granted under the law.
The rule provides that:
- Personal data may be processed without consent if it is being used solely for research, archiving, or statistical purposes.
- Such processing must be carried out in a way that does not harm the rights of Data Principals and does not identify individuals unless absolutely necessary.
- The exemption applies only when the purpose is genuine and not a disguised attempt to use personal data for commercial exploitation.
Exemptions under Rule 15 are allowed only when the purpose is legitimate. Any disguised commercial use of personal data will not qualify and will be treated as a violation.
Example Scenarios
A university research team analyzing the spread of diabetes across different states may process hospital admission data. As long as the data is anonymized and individuals are not identifiable, the research can proceed without seeking consent from every patient.
The National Archives of India may retain and process old census data for historical documentation, even though it contains personal details of individuals who lived decades ago.
A manufacturing industry association may collect employment statistics from factories across India to study labor trends. The study can use personal data in aggregate form without asking every worker for consent, provided individual identities remain protected.
The intention behind Rule 15 is to promote knowledge, preserve history, and enable evidence-based policymaking, while ensuring that such processing does not become a backdoor for misusing personal information. It strikes a balance between societal benefit and individual privacy.