diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7a7b9ad..ff8ff67 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -338,6 +338,7 @@ Authentication: `Authorization: Bearer <JWT>` (24 h). Rate limit: 5 req/s per IP
 | `GET /health` · `GET /ready` | none | liveness · readiness (database) |
 | `POST /register` · `POST /login` | none | create account (role `user`) · obtain JWT |
 | `POST /apply` | none | access / procurement application (stored in Postgres, emailed if SMTP configured) |
+| `GET /admin/applications[/:ref]` | admin (`applications:read`) | read stored applications with bounded pagination and reference validation |
 | `GET/POST/PUT/DELETE /assets[/:id]` | `assets:*` | the caller's assets |
 | `GET /alerts` | `assets:read` | alerts derived from the caller's asset scores |
 | `POST /risk/asset` · `/risk/portfolio` · `/risk/stress-test` | `risk:run` | Monte Carlo (Rust core) via the engine |
diff --git a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/admin.go b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/admin.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4dcd721
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/admin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+// backend/apps/api-gateway/admin.go
+// Admin-only reads for access application records.
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"database/sql"
+	"errors"
+	"log"
+	"net/http"
+	"strconv"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
+)
+
+type applicationDTO struct {
+	Ref string `json:"ref"`
+	Module string `json:"module"`
+	Plan string `json:"plan"`
+	Deployment string `json:"deployment"`
+	Name string `json:"name"`
+	Title string `json:"title"`
+	Email string `json:"email"`
+	Org string `json:"org"`
+	Country string `json:"country"`
+	OrgType string `json:"org_type"`
+	UseCase string `json:"use_case"`
+	Notified bool `json:"notified"`
+	NotifyError string `json:"notify_error"`
+	CreatedAt time.Time `json:"created_at"`
+}
+
+const applicationCols = `ref,module,plan,COALESCE(deployment,''),name,COALESCE(title,''),email,org,country,org_type,COALESCE(use_case,''),notified,COALESCE(notify_error,''),created_at`
+
+type rowScanner interface { Scan(dest ...any) error }
+
+func scanApplication(sc rowScanner) (applicationDTO, error) {
+	var a applicationDTO
+	err := sc.Scan(&a.Ref, &a.Module, &a.Plan, &a.Deployment, &a.Name, &a.Title, &a.Email, &a.Org, &a.Country, &a.OrgType, &a.UseCase, &a.Notified, &a.NotifyError, &a.CreatedAt)
+	return a, err
+}
+
+func clampQueryInt(raw string, def, min, max int) int {
+	n, err := strconv.Atoi(raw)
+	if err != nil { return def }
+	if n < min { return min }
+	if n > max { return max }
+	return n
+}
+
+func handleListApplications(c *gin.Context) {
+	if DB == nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusServiceUnavailable, gin.H{"error":"database unavailable"})
+		return
+	}
+	limit := clampQueryInt(c.Query("limit"), 50, 1, 200)
+	offset := clampQueryInt(c.Query("offset"), 0, 0, 1_000_000)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(c.Request.Context(), dbTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
+	rows, err := DB.QueryContext(ctx, `SELECT `+applicationCols+` FROM applications ORDER BY created_at DESC, ref LIMIT $1 OFFSET $2`, limit, offset)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[admin] list applications: %v", err)
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error":"Database error"})
+		return
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+	out := make([]applicationDTO, 0, limit)
+	for rows.Next() {
+		a, err := scanApplication(rows)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Printf("[admin] scan application: %v", err)
+			c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error":"Database error"})
+			return
+		}
+		out = append(out, a)
+	}
+	if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[admin] row iteration applications: %v", err)
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error":"Database error"})
+		return
+	}
+	log.Printf("[admin] user=%s listed applications limit=%d offset=%d returned=%d", c.GetString("user_id"), limit, offset, len(out))
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{"applications":out, "limit":limit, "offset":offset})
+}
+
+func handleGetApplication(c *gin.Context) {
+	ref := c.Param("ref")
+	if !appRefRe.MatchString(ref) {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error":"invalid application reference"})
+		return
+	}
+	if DB == nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusServiceUnavailable, gin.H{"error":"database unavailable"})
+		return
+	}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(c.Request.Context(), dbTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
+	a, err := scanApplication(DB.QueryRowContext(ctx, `SELECT `+applicationCols+` FROM applications WHERE ref=$1`, ref))
+	if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusNotFound, gin.H{"error":"application not found"})
+		return
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[admin] get application %s: %v", ref, err)
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error":"Database error"})
+		return
+	}
+	log.Printf("[admin] user=%s read application %s", c.GetString("user_id"), ref)
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, a)
+}
diff --git a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/admin_test.go b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/admin_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee16250
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/admin_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"database/sql/driver"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
+)
+
+func adminRouter(role string) *gin.Engine {
+	r := gin.New()
+	r.Use(func(c *gin.Context) { c.Set("role", role); c.Set("user_id", "u-1"); c.Next() })
+	r.GET("/admin/applications", RequirePermission("applications:read"), handleListApplications)
+	r.GET("/admin/applications/:ref", RequirePermission("applications:read"), handleGetApplication)
+	return r
+}
+
+func appRow(ref string) []driver.Value {
+	return []driver.Value{ref, "meteorium", "Institutional", "cloud", "Asha Rao", "Director", "asha@example.org", "DST CoE", "India", "Government", "Flood pilot — ünïcode ✓", true, "", time.Now()}
+}
+
+func TestAdmin_OnlyAdminsCanReadApplications(t *testing.T) {
+	f := newFakeDB(t)
+	f.QueryCols = []string{"ref", "module", "plan", "deployment", "name", "title", "email", "org", "country", "org_type", "use_case", "notified", "notify_error", "created_at"}
+	f.QueryRows = [][]driver.Value{appRow("PRX-MET-0A1B2C3D")}
+	for role, want := range map[string]int{"admin": 200, "user": 403, "viewer": 403, "nonsense": 403} {
+		w := doJSON(adminRouter(role), "GET", "/admin/applications", nil, nil)
+		if w.Code != want { t.Errorf("role %q: want %d got %d", role, want, w.Code) }
+	}
+	var out struct { Applications []map[string]any `json:"applications"` }
+	w := doJSON(adminRouter("admin"), "GET", "/admin/applications", nil, nil)
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(w.Body.Bytes(), &out)
+	if len(out.Applications) != 1 || out.Applications[0]["ref"] != "PRX-MET-0A1B2C3D" || out.Applications[0]["use_case"] != "Flood pilot — ünïcode ✓" || out.Applications[0]["email"] != "asha@example.org" {
+		t.Fatalf("applicant details must be readable by admins: %v", out.Applications)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAdmin_PaginationIsClamped(t *testing.T) {
+	f := newFakeDB(t)
+	f.QueryCols = []string{"ref", "module", "plan", "deployment", "name", "title", "email", "org", "country", "org_type", "use_case", "notified", "notify_error", "created_at"}
+	for q, want := range map[string][2]int64{"": {50, 0}, "?limit=99999&offset=-5": {200, 0}, "?limit=abc&offset=xyz": {50, 0}, "?limit=0": {1, 0}, "?limit=10&offset=30": {10, 30}} {
+		f.Queries = nil
+		w := doJSON(adminRouter("admin"), "GET", "/admin/applications"+q, nil, nil)
+		if w.Code != 200 { t.Fatalf("%q: %d", q, w.Code) }
+		if len(f.Queries) != 1 || f.Queries[0].args[0] != want[0] || f.Queries[0].args[1] != want[1] {
+			t.Errorf("%q: LIMIT/OFFSET args %v, want %v", q, f.Queries, want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAdmin_GetApplication_ValidatesRefBeforeTouchingTheDatabase(t *testing.T) {
+	f := newFakeDB(t)
+	for _, bad := range []string{"PRX-XXX-ZZZZZZZZ", "prx-met-0a1b2c3d", "PRX-MET-0A1B2C3", "PRX-MET-0A1B2C3D%27%20OR%201=1", "..%2Fetc%2Fpasswd", "PRX-ME-0A1B2C3D"} {
+		if w := doJSON(adminRouter("admin"), "GET", "/admin/applications/"+bad, nil, nil); w.Code != 400 && w.Code != 404 {
+			t.Errorf("%q → %d, want 400/404", bad, w.Code)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(f.Queries) != 0 { t.Fatalf("invalid references reached SQL: %v", f.Queries) }
+	if w := doJSON(adminRouter("admin"), "GET", "/admin/applications/PRX-MET-0A1B2C3D", nil, nil); w.Code != 404 {
+		t.Errorf("well-formed but unknown ref → %d", w.Code)
+	}
+	if w := doJSON(adminRouter("user"), "GET", "/admin/applications/PRX-MET-0A1B2C3D", nil, nil); w.Code != 403 {
+		t.Errorf("non-admin → %d", w.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAdmin_RoutesRegisteredOnTheRealRouter_AndRequireAuth(t *testing.T) {
+	r := newTestRouter(t)
+	have := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, rt := range r.Routes() { have[rt.Method+" "+rt.Path] = true }
+	for _, want := range []string{"GET /admin/applications", "GET /admin/applications/:ref"} {
+		if !have[want] { t.Errorf("route %s not registered", want) }
+	}
+	for _, p := range []string{"/admin/applications", "/admin/applications/PRX-MET-0A1B2C3D"} {
+		if w := doJSON(r, "GET", p, nil, nil); w.Code != 401 { t.Errorf("%s without a token → %d, want 401", p, w.Code) }
+	}
+	for _, role := range []string{"user", "viewer"} {
+		for _, perm := range rolePermissions[role] {
+			if perm == "applications:read" { t.Errorf("role %s must not hold applications:read", role) }
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/db.go b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/db.go
index 0537bf0..7668752 100644
--- a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/db.go
+++ b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/db.go
@@ -163,10 +163,31 @@ func migrate() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("migration: %w", err)
 	}
+	// Best-effort defence in depth for API roles exposed through PostgREST.
+	// If the runtime role is not table owner, apply hardening using a privileged migration role.
+	if _, hardenErr := DB.ExecContext(ctx, hardenSQL); hardenErr != nil {
+		log.Printf("⚠ could not apply row-level-security hardening: %v", hardenErr)
+	}
 	log.Println("✓ Database schema ready")
 	return nil
 }
 
+const hardenSQL = `
+DO $$
+BEGIN
+  ALTER TABLE users ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY;
+  ALTER TABLE assets ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY;
+  ALTER TABLE applications ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY;
+  IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM pg_roles WHERE rolname = 'anon') THEN
+    REVOKE ALL ON TABLE users, assets, applications FROM anon;
+  END IF;
+  IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM pg_roles WHERE rolname = 'authenticated') THEN
+    REVOKE ALL ON TABLE users, assets, applications FROM authenticated;
+  END IF;
+EXCEPTION WHEN insufficient_privilege THEN
+  RAISE NOTICE 'RLS hardening skipped (database role is not table owner)';
+END $$;`
+
 func handleGetAssets(c *gin.Context) {
 	userID := c.GetString("user_id")
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(c.Request.Context(), dbTimeout)
diff --git a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/main.go b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/main.go
index 09e7329..9344802 100644
--- a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/main.go
+++ b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/main.go
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@ func buildRouter() *gin.Engine {
 		auth.POST("/gemini", RateLimitMiddleware(), RequirePermission("risk:run"), quota, handleLegacyAI("gemini"))
 
 		auth.GET("/conduit/tools", RequirePermission("conduit:read"), handleConduitTools)
+		auth.GET("/admin/applications", RequirePermission("applications:read"), handleListApplications)
+		auth.GET("/admin/applications/:ref", RequirePermission("applications:read"), handleGetApplication)
 		auth.GET("/me", handleGetMe)
 		auth.PUT("/me", handleUpdateMe)
 	}
diff --git a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/pg_integration_test.go b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/pg_integration_test.go
index 4646013..fa5644f 100644
--- a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/pg_integration_test.go
+++ b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/pg_integration_test.go
@@ -203,3 +203,61 @@ func TestPG_InitDBWithRetry_RecoversWhenDatabaseComesUp(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	CloseDB()
 }
+
+func TestPG_Admin_ReadsStoredApplications_AndRBAC(t *testing.T) {
+	pgSetup(t)
+	t.Setenv("SMTP_HOST", "")
+	r := newTestRouter(t)
+	for _, email := range []string{"admin-pg@example.org", "user-pg@example.org"} {
+		w := doJSON(r, "POST", "/register", map[string]any{"email": email, "password": "correct-horse-1", "full_name": "Test"}, nil)
+		if w.Code >= 300 { t.Fatalf("register %s: %d %s", email, w.Code, w.Body.String()) }
+	}
+	if _, err := DB.Exec(`UPDATE users SET role='admin' WHERE email='admin-pg@example.org'`); err != nil { t.Fatal(err) }
+	login := func(email string) string {
+		w := doJSON(r, "POST", "/login", map[string]any{"email": email, "password": "correct-horse-1"}, nil)
+		var out AuthResponse
+		_ = json.Unmarshal(w.Body.Bytes(), &out)
+		if w.Code != 200 || out.Token == "" { t.Fatalf("login %s: %d %s", email, w.Code, w.Body.String()) }
+		return out.Token
+	}
+	adminToken, userToken := login("admin-pg@example.org"), login("user-pg@example.org")
+	body := validApply()
+	body["use_case"] = "admin query integration — naïve ✓"
+	w := doJSON(r, "POST", "/apply", body, nil)
+	var applied map[string]string
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(w.Body.Bytes(), &applied)
+	if w.Code != 200 || applied["ref"] == "" { t.Fatalf("apply: %d %s", w.Code, w.Body.String()) }
+	authed := func(token string) map[string]string { return map[string]string{"Authorization": "Bearer " + token} }
+
+	w = doJSON(r, "GET", "/admin/applications?limit=1&offset=0", nil, authed(adminToken))
+	var list struct { Applications []map[string]any `json:"applications"` }
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(w.Body.Bytes(), &list)
+	if w.Code != 200 || len(list.Applications) != 1 || list.Applications[0]["ref"] != applied["ref"] || list.Applications[0]["use_case"] != body["use_case"] {
+		t.Fatalf("admin listing failed: %d %s", w.Code, w.Body.String())
+	}
+	w = doJSON(r, "GET", "/admin/applications/" + applied["ref"], nil, authed(adminToken))
+	if w.Code != 200 || !strings.Contains(w.Body.String(), "asha@example.org") { t.Fatalf("admin read failed: %d %s", w.Code, w.Body.String()) }
+	w = doJSON(r, "GET", "/admin/applications", nil, authed(userToken))
+	if w.Code != http.StatusForbidden { t.Fatalf("normal user admin listing: %d %s", w.Code, w.Body.String()) }
+	w = doJSON(r, "GET", "/admin/applications", nil, nil)
+	if w.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized { t.Fatalf("anonymous admin listing: %d", w.Code) }
+}
+
+func TestPG_Migration_EnablesRLSAndRevokesAPIGrants(t *testing.T) {
+	pgSetup(t)
+	var secured int
+	if err := DB.QueryRow(`SELECT COUNT(*) FROM pg_class WHERE relname IN ('users','assets','applications') AND relkind='r' AND relrowsecurity`).Scan(&secured); err != nil || secured != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected RLS on users/assets/applications; got %d, err=%v", secured, err)
+	}
+	// Only test revocation where this connection is permitted to create roles and grant privileges.
+	_, _ = DB.Exec(`DO $$ BEGIN IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM pg_roles WHERE rolname='anon') THEN CREATE ROLE anon NOLOGIN; END IF; IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM pg_roles WHERE rolname='authenticated') THEN CREATE ROLE authenticated NOLOGIN; END IF; END $$`)
+	if _, err := DB.Exec(`GRANT ALL ON TABLE users,assets,applications TO anon,authenticated`); err != nil {
+		t.Skipf("role-grant check requires privileged test database: %v", err)
+	}
+	CloseDB()
+	if err := InitDB(); err != nil { t.Fatal(err) }
+	var grants int
+	if err := DB.QueryRow(`SELECT COUNT(*) FROM information_schema.role_table_grants WHERE table_schema='public' AND table_name IN ('users','assets','applications') AND grantee IN ('anon','authenticated')`).Scan(&grants); err != nil || grants != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("API role grants remain after migration: %d, err=%v", grants, err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/rbac.go b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/rbac.go
index 3b12c33..33d6e33 100644
--- a/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/rbac.go
+++ b/backend/backend/apps/api-gateway/rbac.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import "github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
 var rolePermissions = map[string][]string{
 	"admin": {
 		"assets:read", "assets:create", "assets:update", "assets:delete",
-		"risk:run", "user:read", "conduit:read",
+		"risk:run", "user:read", "conduit:read", "applications:read",
 	},
 	"user": {
 		"assets:read", "assets:create", "assets:update", "risk:run", "conduit:read",
diff --git a/backend/backend/go.mod b/backend/backend/go.mod
index c2d86f3..466519f 100644
--- a/backend/backend/go.mod
+++ b/backend/backend/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/devXyi/prexus-intelligence/backend
 
-go 1.22
+go 1.26.9
 
 require (
 	github.com/gin-contrib/cors    v1.7.2
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/joho/godotenv       v1.5.1
 	github.com/lib/pq              v1.10.9
 	golang.org/x/crypto            v0.24.0
-	golang.org/x/net               v0.55.0
+	golang.org/x/net               v0.60.0
 	golang.org/x/text              v0.39.0
 	golang.org/x/time              v0.5.0
 )