Usage

The Data Veda API provides standardized access to personally identifiable information (PII) data elements contextualized for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA), 2023.

It enables developers, consent managers, and compliance systems to search data elements, retrieve linked consent purposes, and map associated processing activities — simplifying privacy classification and compliance automation.

Base URL

https://api.consentfoundation.org/dataveda/v1

🔑 Authentication

All endpoints require an API key. Include your key in the header:

Authorization: Bearer <your_api_key>

Search Data Elements

GET /elements

Search and retrieve standardized data elements with their classification, sensitivity level, and compliance metadata.

Query Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
keyword	string	Optional	Search term for a data element (e.g. email, PAN, biometric)
category	string	Optional	Filter by data category (e.g. contact, financial, biometric, health)
sensitivity	string	Optional	Filter by sensitivity level (low, moderate, high)
language	string	Optional	Response language (default: en)
limit	integer	Optional	Number of results per page
page	integer	Optional	Page number

Example Request

GET /elements?keyword=PAN

Example Response

{
  "status": "success",
  "results": [
    {
      "element_id": "FIN-PAN-001",
      "name": "Permanent Account Number (PAN)",
      "category": "financial",
      "description": "A unique ten-digit alphanumeric identifier used for financial verification.",
      "sensitivity": "high",
      "recommended_security": ["encrypt", "mask", "access_control"],
      "regulatory_reference": ["RBI", "IncomeTax", "DPDPA-2023"],
      "retention_guideline": "Up to 7 years post account closure"
    }
  ]
}

---

Get Consent Purposes Associated with a Data Element

GET /elements/{element_id}/consents

Retrieve all standardized consent purposes where a specific data element is used. This allows systems to understand why a data element is being collected or processed.

Path Parameter

Name	Type	Required	Description
element_id	string	✅	Unique identifier for the data element (e.g. FIN-PAN-001)

Example Request

GET /elements/FIN-PAN-001/consents

Example Response

{
  "status": "success",
  "element_id": "FIN-PAN-001",
  "data_element": "Permanent Account Number (PAN)",
  "consents": [
    {
      "purpose_id": "FIN-KYC-001",
      "title": "Processing of PAN for customer KYC verification",
      "industry": "finance",
      "category": "kyc",
      "language": "en"
    },
    {
      "purpose_id": "FIN-LOAN-002",
      "title": "Verification of PAN for loan eligibility assessment",
      "industry": "finance",
      "category": "credit_assessment",
      "language": "en"
    }
  ]
}

---

Get Processes Associated with a Data Element

GET /elements/{element_id}/processes

Retrieve a list of data processing activities or workflows that involve the given data element. This helps organizations trace where and how each element is being used operationally.

Path Parameter

Name	Type	Required	Description
element_id	string	✅	Unique data element ID

Example Request

GET /elements/FIN-PAN-001/processes

Example Response

{
  "status": "success",
  "element_id": "FIN-PAN-001",
  "data_element": "Permanent Account Number (PAN)",
  "processes": [
    {
      "process_id": "PROC-KYC-001",
      "title": "Customer identity verification",
      "description": "PAN data is verified against government databases to confirm user identity.",
      "data_flow_stage": "collection",
      "security_measures": ["encryption", "access_control"]
    },
    {
      "process_id": "PROC-TAX-002",
      "title": "Regulatory reporting to Income Tax Department",
      "description": "PAN information is shared securely for compliance with tax reporting obligations.",
      "data_flow_stage": "transfer",
      "security_measures": ["encryption-in-transit", "audit_logging"]
    }
  ]
}

Error Response

{
  "status": "error",
  "code": 404,
  "message": "Data element not found"
}