---
title: "DPDP Rules Third Schedule: Erasure periods for large platforms"
description: "The Third Schedule to the DPDP Rules 2025, Erasure periods for large platforms: what it requires, who it applies to and the official text."
url: "https://dpdpr.in/rules/schedule-3/"
canonical: "https://dpdpr.in/rules/schedule-3/"
site: "dpdpr.in"
updated: "2026-11-02"
disclaimer: "Independent reference, not legal advice. Not affiliated with the Government of India or MeitY."
---

# Third Schedule: Erasure periods for large platforms

DPDP Rules, 2025 · Schedules

## In simple words

Large e-commerce, online gaming and social media platforms must delete data three years after a user last used the service or her rights. Some purposes, such as access to the user account and virtual tokens, are excluded.

- **What this means for you**: Inactive accounts on big platforms may be deleted after three years, with notice.

- **What this means for businesses**: Check the user number thresholds for your class.

- **Everyday example**: An online gaming platform with over fifty lakh users deletes an inactive player's data after three years.

## Who it applies to

Data Fiduciaries in the listed classes.

## Related Rules

- [Rule 8. Time period for specified purpose to be deemed as no longer being served](https://dpdpr.in/rules/rule-8/)

Official text as notified

Source: [MeitY copy of the Gazette, page 35](https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2025/11/53450e6e5dc0bfa85ebd78686cadad39.pdf#page=35). Printed dashes are shown as colons; the wording is unchanged.

\[See rule 8(1)\]

| S. no. | Class of Data Fiduciaries | Purposes | Time period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Data Fiduciary who is an e-commerce entity having not less than two crore registered users in India. | For all purposes, except for the following: (a) Enabling the Data Principal to access her user account; and (b) Enabling the Data Principal to access any virtual token that is issued by or on behalf of the Data Fiduciary, is stored on the digital facility or platform of such Data Fiduciary, and may be used to get money, goods or services. | Three years from the date on which the Data Principal last approached the Data Fiduciary for the performance of the specified purpose or exercise of her rights, or the commencement of the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, whichever is latest. |
| 2. | Data Fiduciary who is an online gaming intermediary having not less than fifty lakh registered users in India. | For all purposes, except for the following: (a) Enabling the Data Principal to access her user account; and (b) Enabling the Data Principal to access any virtual token that is issued by or on behalf of the Data Fiduciary, is stored on the digital facility or platform of such Data Fiduciary, and may be used to get money, goods or services. | Three years from the date on which the Data Principal last approached the Data Fiduciary for the performance of the specified purpose or exercise of her rights, or the commencement of the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, whichever is latest. |
| 3. | Data Fiduciary who is a social media intermediary having not less than two crore registered users in India. | For all purposes, except for the following: (a) Enabling the Data Principal to access her user account; and (b) Enabling the Data Principal to access any virtual token that is issued by or on behalf of the Data Fiduciary, is stored on the digital facility or platform of such Data Fiduciary, and may be used to get money, goods or services. | Three years from the date on which the Data Principal last approached the Data Fiduciary for the performance of the specified purpose or exercise of her rights, or the commencement of the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, whichever is latest. |

Note:In this Schedule,

(a) “e-commerce entity” means any person who owns, operates or manages a digital facility or platform for e-commerce as defined in the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (35 of 2019), but does not include a seller offering her goods or services for sale on a marketplace e-commerce entity as defined in the said Act;

(b) “online gaming intermediary” means any intermediary who enables the users of its computer resource to access one or more online games;

(c) “social media intermediary” means an intermediary as defined in clause (w) of sub-rule (1) of rule 2 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021; and

(d) “user”, in relation to:

(i) an e-commerce entity, means any person who accesses or avails any computer resource of an e-commerce entity; and

(ii) an online gaming intermediary or a social media intermediary, means any person who accesses or avails of any computer resource of an intermediary for the purpose of hosting, publishing, sharing, transacting, viewing, displaying, downloading or uploading information.

## When this takes effect

- Whole schedule **Starts 13 May 2027** 191 days to go

Source: [G.S.R. 843(E)](https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2025/11/c56ceae6c383460ca69577428d36828b.pdf) and [rule 1](https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2025/11/53450e6e5dc0bfa85ebd78686cadad39.pdf). [All deadlines](https://dpdpr.in/deadlines/)