Data revealing racial origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, health, sexual orientation, or biometrics.
Special category data includes information about an individual's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data for identification, health data, and data concerning sexual orientation. These categories demand the highest level of protection under DPDPA Rules 2025. Processing such data typically requires explicit, specific consent and documented impact assessments.
If your product stores caste information, health records, or biometric templates, you face the strictest tier of compliance obligations. Mishandling special category data can result in maximum penalties and irreparable trust damage.
A Delhi-based EdTech platform that collects student disability information for accessibility accommodations is processing special category data. It needs explicit parental consent (for minors), segregated storage, and enhanced encryption.
Some believe religion or caste fields in optional profile forms are harmless. Under DPDPA, collecting this data — even optionally — triggers special category protections and heightened consent requirements.
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