India launches Certified Data Protection Officer Program to Train Leaders In Compliance with Digital Personal Data Protection Act

India is making a significant step forward on the road to data privacy. The Future Crime Research Foundation (FCRF) has announced the start of its Certified Data Protection Officer (CDPO) program, and the response has been incredible.The program starts on September 6, 2025, and hundreds of high-ranking people, such as civil servants, defence commanders, CISOs, and cyber security experts, have already signed up.

The Importance of This Program

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) came into force in stages starting in 2023. Now, protecting data is not only a choice, it is the law. The act makes it strict for businesses to acquire, store, and use personal data in certain ways. It makes sure that permission methods are followed, limits the collecting of unnecessary data, limits transfers across borders, and imposes high fines for breaking the rules.

It is now mandatory for many businesses to hire a Data Protection Officer (DPO). This is where the CDPO program comes in. It gives the people who will be responsible for this important task the proper knowledge and abilities.

What the CDPO Program Offers

The Certified Data Protection Officer (CDPO) course is designed to run over four weekends, offering 16 modules grouped into five key tracks. Participants begin with the Foundations of Data Protection, covering privacy rights and frameworks like GDPR, CCPA, and India’s DPDPA. The Governance & DPO’s Role track focuses on building governance frameworks and policies. Operational Compliance & Data Management delivers practical training in data mapping, retention schedules, and secure disposal. Consent, Rights & Transparency addresses lawful consent, children’s data, and data subject requests, while Risk, Breach & Vendor Oversight prepares professionals for DPIAs, breach handling, vendor management, and audits.

A Step Toward a Privacy-First Future

The CDPO program gained credibility as a result of FCRF's previous success with the Certified Cyber Crisis Management Professional (CCMP) curriculum. Over 500 senior executives from the government, defence, cybersecurity, and regulatory sectors completed the course. The confidence established by that endeavour is now attracting leaders from all businesses to join the CDPO program. 

By preparing India’s top professionals with real-world privacy skills, the CDPO program is not just another training course.It is becoming a cornerstone for India’s privacy-first future, ensuring that organisations can protect personal data while building trust in the digital age.

This article is based on information from The 420