Question

Section 3 of Information Technology Act,2000 which was originally "Digital Signature" was renamed as ---------- in ITAA-2008

• A. "Digital Signature and Electronic Signature"
• B. "Digital Signature and E- Signature"
• C. "Digital and Electronic Signature
• D. "Electronic Signature"

Hint:

For the IT Act, remember that the 2008 amendment made the law "technology-neutral". The shift from "Digital Signature" to the broader "Electronic Signature" is the prime example of this. A digital signature is now just one type of electronic signature.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Information Technology Act, 2000, originally recognized only a specific type of electronic signature, known as a "Digital Signature," which was based on asymmetric crypto-systems. To keep pace with technological advancements and to recognize other forms of electronic authentication, the Act was amended.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 (ITAA-2008) made significant changes to the original Act.
One key change was to replace the technology-specific concept of "Digital Signature" with the broader, technology-neutral concept of "Electronic Signature".
- The original Section 3 was titled "Authentication of electronic records" and dealt exclusively with digital signatures.
- The 2008 amendment substituted the old Section 3 with a new Section 3 titled "Authentication of electronic records" and a new Section 3A titled "Electronic Signature".
The effect of this amendment was that "Digital Signature" (as defined in Section 2(1)(p)) became one type of "Electronic Signature" (as defined in Section 2(1)(ta)). The law now allows the Central Government to notify other techniques for electronic authentication in the Second Schedule of the Act, making the framework more flexible and future-proof. While the question phrasing is slightly imprecise (Section 3 deals with authentication, and Section 3A introduces the term), the conceptual shift was from "Digital Signature" to the broader "Electronic Signature". The question's intent is to ask what new, broader term was introduced for authentication. The heading of the new Section 3A is the most direct answer. However, the most accurate description of the change is the replacement of the term throughout the act. Looking at the options, the most logical answer representing this shift is "Electronic Signature". The original Section 3 dealing with authentication was effectively subsumed under the new framework of electronic signatures. Therefore, the new concept introduced to replace the old limited one is "Electronic Signature".