Privacy Policy

1. INTRODUCTION

hpscedu.co.in (together with its subsidiaries, and affiliates, hereinafter “HPSC, “us,” “we,” “our” or “the Company”) is committed to the security and management of personal data, to function effectively and successfully for the benefit of our stakeholders who are primarily the students, academicians, and the institutions. In doing so, it is essential that people’s privacy is protected through the lawful and appropriate means for handling the personal data. Therefore, we have implemented this Privacy Policy (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘Policy’’).

2. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to describe how HPSC collects, uses, and shares information about you through our online interfaces (e.g., websites and mobile applications) owned and controlled by us, including but not limited to https://www.hpscedu.co.in/ (hereinafter the “website” or “platform”). This policy is also designed to provide information on how HPSC ensures data security, conducts disclosures to third parties and process requests from the Data Principals, i.e. You.

3. SCOPE

This Policy applies to all website visitors, including but not limited to students, prospects, academia fraternity, affiliates and placement and loan partners. This policy is intended to inform about how these stakeholders gather, use, disclose and manage the related data information.

4. PERSONAL DATA WE COLLECT

We only collect relevant information about you if we have a reason to do so — for example, to provide our Services on the Platform, to gauge your interest for specific program/institutions, to communicate with you, to acquaint you with other value AI-Powered added services amicable for your education progression, and also to ascertain feedback for service improvisation. We collect this information from the following sources.

Information we collect from you:

• Basic Account Information: In order to access certain features of the Platform, such as to book an expert career guidance session, receive personalised recommendation(s), etc., you will need to create an account and register with us. We ask for basic information which may include your Full Name, Email Address, Gender, State and City of residence and country of origin, Date of Birth, Phone/ Mobile Number, Education history, Job experience along with current salary drawn, if any.
• Information when you communicate with us: When you voluntarily write to us with a question or to ask for help, we will keep that correspondence, and the Email Address, for future reference; this may also include any Phone/ Mobile Numbers if you have provided us the same as part of your communication either in writing (emails included), over a phone call or otherwise.
• Information when you register for different seminars, webinars, or other outreach efforts by us: When you register with us for our outreach efforts, we ask for basic information which may include your Full Name, Email address, Gender, State and City of residence and country of origin, Date of Birth, Phone/ Mobile Number, Education history, Job experience along with current salary drawn if any.
• Information when you collaborate with us for marketing videos, testimonials and social media posts: When you collaborate with us as an affiliate, we ask for Full Name, Phone/ Mobile Number, Email ID, disclosure on past brand associations, and Financial and commercial data including bank account details. We also collect sensitive personal information from individual/ company including PAN Card Number, Aadhar Card Number, GST Certificate, and website address (if any).
• Information we collect automatically:
  • Device and Log information: When you access our Platform, we collect information that web browsers, mobile devices, and servers typically make available, including the browser type, IP address, unique device identifiers, language preference, referring site, the date and time of access, operating system, and mobile network information. We collect log information when you use our Platform — for example, when you create or make changes to your account information on the Platform.
  • Usage information: We collect information about your usage of our Platform. We also collect information about what happens when you use our Platform (e.g., page views, interactions with other parts of our Services) along with information about your Supported Device (e.g., mobile device manufacturer). We use this information to provide our Platform to you, get insights on how people use our Platform so that we can make our Platform better, and understand and make predictions about user retention and interest showcased.
  • Information from Cookies & other technologies: We may collect information about you through the use of cookies and other similar technologies. A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns.

5. HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We may collect, hold, use, and disclose information for the following purposes including but not limited to following, and personal information will not be further processed in a manner that is incompatible with these purposes:

• To provide you with our platform’s core features and services in accordance with the legal & contractual obligations.
• To enable you to customize or personalize your experience of our website.
• To contact and communicate with you.
• Improving our products and services. Managing our operations with other companies that provide services to us and our customers.
• Developing new ways to meet our customers’ needs and grow our business.
• Marketing and events – related communication.
• Identifying, investigating, reporting and preventing fraud, money laundering and other crime.
• Managing risk for us and our Users.
• Complying with laws, regulations and statutory compliances.
• Investigating and responding to complaints, feedback and suggestions.

We may combine voluntarily provided and automatically collated personal data with general information or research data we receive from other trusted sources. For example, our marketing and market research activities may uncover data and insights, which we may combine with information about how visitors use our website as a medium for solicit information and how he/ her/ they experience their journey on our platform.

6. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE WEBSITE

We may use your email address to send our newsletters and/or marketing communications. If you no longer wish to receive these communications, you can opt out by following the instructions contained in the emails you receive or by contacting us at unsubscribe@hpscedu.co.in

We will send you announcements related to the Service(s) on occasions when it is necessary to do so. For instance, if our Service is temporarily suspended for maintenance, we might send you an email. Generally, you may not opt-out of communications which are not promotional in nature. If you do not wish to receive them, you may delete your Account or unsubscribe from the same.

7. DATA OF PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN

While we collect data from individuals under the age of eighteen, such data is only used strictly for the purpose of the services provided by HPSC and only those who are currently completing or who have completed their higher secondary examination, as applicable. In the event you are under the age of eighteen, you must provide the phone number of a parent/guardian in order to avail of HPSC’s services.

8. COOKIES

We use “cookies” to collect information about you and your activity across our website. A cookie is a small piece of data that our website stores on your computer, and accesses each time you visit, so we can understand how you use our site. This helps us serve you content based on preferences you have specified.

9. HOW LONG WE KEEP YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We uphold the principle of retaining your personal information only for the duration necessary to fulfil its intended purpose, as outlined in our privacy policy. For instance, if you have provided personal information while creating an account, we may retain this data as long as your account remains active on our system. If your personal information is no longer required for such purposes, we will promptly delete it or anonymize it by removing any identifiable details.

Nevertheless, there are certain circumstances where we may need to retain your personal information for legitimate business or legal reasons or provide substantial evidence of record or exemplify the case study or learner’s experience for giving insight to learners’ fraternity at large. These may include obligations related to compliance with applicable laws, accounting or reporting requirements, statistical analysis, etc. Additionally, certain data may be retained for extended periods to fulfil purposes such as ensuring security, preventing fraud and abuse, or maintaining financial records.

10. YOUR RIGHTS AND CONTROLLING YOUR PERSONAL DATA

Individuals in India have certain statutory rights in relates to their personal data.

• Right to Access Information about Personal Data: The right to obtain confirmation of whether personal data is being processed and, if so, to access that data.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: The right to withdraw consent given for the processing of personal data at any time.
• Right to Correction: The right to request the correction or amendment of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Erasure: The right to request the deletion or removal of personal data under certain circumstances.
• Right to Grievance Redressal: The right to easily access grievance resolution mechanisms against any action or failure on the part of HPSC related to their responsibilities concerning the personal data.
• Right to Nominate: The right to appoint another person, to act on your behalf in case of mortality or incapacity. In this context, “incapacity” refers to the inability to exercise rights due to mental unsoundness or physical infirmity.

11. DUTIES OF THE DATA PRINCIPAL

You, as the Data Principal are bound by certain duties, and must ensure:

• Not to impersonate another person while providing your personal data for a specified purpose;
• Not to suppress any material information while providing your personal data for any document, unique identifier, proof of identity or proof of address issued by the State or any of its instrumentalities;
• Not to register a false or frivolous grievance or complaint with us or the Data Protection Board of India;
• To furnish only such information as is verifiably authentic, while exercising the right to correction or erasure under this policy;
• Compliance with the provisions of all applicable laws for the time being in force while exercising rights under the provisions of DPDP Act;

12. SECURITY OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA

At HPSC, the security of your data is of utmost importance. We take extensive measures to safeguard the information you provide, ensuring protection against loss, unauthorized access, disclosure, and misuse. These measures are designed to align with the sensitivity of the data we collect, process, and store, as well as the current advancements in technology.

However, it is important to note that due to the inherent nature of communication and information processing technology, we cannot guarantee absolute security against external intrusions while transmitting data over the Internet or when it is stored in our systems. Additionally, when you click on a link leading to a third-party website, please be aware that you will be leaving our site, and we do not have control over or endorse the content found on such third-party sites. HPSC or its affiliates bear no responsibility for your reliance on any information received or any actions taken on such third-party sites, including but not limited to legal injury or losses suffered.

13. DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL DATA TO THIRD PARTIES

We may disclose personal information to:

• Our parent and subsidiary company, affiliates, or collaborated institutions.
• Third-party service providers for the purpose of enabling them to provide their services, including (without limitation)
• IT service providers, data storage, hosting and server providers, analytics, error loggers, debt collectors, maintenance or problem-solving providers, professional advisors, payment systems operators, and financial institutions
• Our employees and senior management of our Company.
• Our existing or potential agents or business partners.
• Regulatory authorities and third-party collection agencies in the event you fail to pay for goods or services we have provided to you.
• Courts, tribunals, regulatory authorities, and law enforcement officers, as required by law, in connection with any actual or prospective legal proceedings, or in order to establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights.
• Third parties, including agents or sub-contractors, who assist us in providing information, products, services, or direct marketing to you.
• Third parties to collect and process data
• An entity that buys, or to which we transfer all or substantially all of our assets and business.

14. PRIVACY GRIEVANCES

If you have any questions about this Policy, wish to exercise your rights, have concerns about privacy of your data or any privacy related grievances in respect of the Website, then please write an email to admin@hpscedu.co.in

If you are an Indian resident and you have a complaint, you may refer it to the Data Protection Board (DPB) of India under the relevant provisions of Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. The DPB serves as India’s primary authority in matters relating to personal data protection.

15. UPDATES TO PRIVACY POLICY

At our discretion, we may change our privacy policy to reflect updates to our business processes, current acceptable practices, or legislative or regulatory changes, and inclusion/exclusion of target audience and stakeholders. If we decide to change this privacy policy, we will post the changes here at the same link by which you are accessing this privacy policy. If the changes are significant, or if required by applicable law, we will contact you (based on your selected preferences for communications from us) and all our registered users with the new details and links to the updated or changed policy.