Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information to provide better services to all our users. The categories of information we collect include:

a) Information You Provide Directly

• Enquiry / Lead Form: Full name, email address, mobile number, city, and course of interest that you submit through our enquiry forms.
• Account Registration: Username, password, and profile details if you create an account on the Platform.
• Reviews & Feedback: Any content, ratings, or comments you post on the Platform.
• Communications: Information you provide when you contact us via email, phone, or chat support.

b) Information Collected Automatically

• Log Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages viewed, and timestamps.
• Device Information: Hardware model, device identifiers, mobile network information.
• Cookies & Similar Technologies: Session cookies, persistent cookies, pixel tags, and local storage objects (see Section 5).
• Usage Data: Search queries, pages visited, links clicked, and features used on the Platform.

c) Information from Third Parties

• Social media platforms (if you connect or log in via Facebook, Google, etc.).
• Education partners and colleges listed on our Platform who may share inquiry-related data.
• Analytics and advertising partners.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To Provide Our Services: Matching you with relevant colleges and courses, sending enquiry details to the institutions you are interested in, and fulfilling your requests.
• Communication: Contacting you via WhatsApp, SMS, email, and phone calls regarding college admissions, counselling services, application deadlines, exam alerts, and promotional offers, even if your number is registered on DND/NDNC (with your prior consent).
• Personalisation: Tailoring search results, recommendations, and content to your preferences.
• Analytics & Improvement: Understanding how users interact with the Platform to improve features, fix bugs, and develop new services.
• Marketing: Sending newsletters, promotional emails, and targeted advertisements (you may opt out at any time).
• Legal Compliance: Meeting obligations under applicable Indian laws and regulations including the Information Technology Act, 2000 and rules thereunder.
• Fraud Prevention & Security: Detecting, investigating, and preventing fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: Where you have given us explicit consent, including the opt-in checkbox on our enquiry forms for marketing communications.
• Contractual Necessity: Where processing is necessary to perform our service agreement with you.
• Legitimate Interests: Where we have a legitimate interest that is not overridden by your rights, such as improving our services, fraud prevention, and internal analytics.
• Legal Obligation: Where we are required to process your data to comply with a legal requirement.

4. Sharing of Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• Colleges & Educational Institutions: When you submit an enquiry, your contact details and course preference are shared with the relevant college(s) for admission-related communication.
• Service Providers: Third-party vendors who assist us in operating the Platform (hosting, email delivery, SMS, analytics, customer support). These parties are contractually bound to keep your data confidential and use it only for the specified purpose.
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or government authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of CollegeDirect, our users, or the public.
• Aggregated / Anonymised Data: We may share de-identified, aggregated statistics about usage with partners or in public reports.

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on the Platform.

• Essential Cookies: Required for the Platform to function (session management, security).
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use the Platform (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and choices.
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements and track the effectiveness of our campaigns.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect your ability to use some features of the Platform.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

• Enquiry / lead data is retained for up to 3 years from the date of collection, after which it is securely deleted or anonymised.
• Account data is retained while your account is active and for up to 2 years after account closure.
• Server log data is retained for up to 90 days for security purposes.

7. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (“right to be forgotten”), subject to legal retention obligations.
• Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection / Opt-Out: Object to processing for direct marketing at any time by clicking “Unsubscribe” in any marketing email or contacting us directly.
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw any previously given consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please email us at privacy@collegedirect.in with the subject line “Data Rights Request”. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Communications & DND/NDNC

By submitting an enquiry form on our Platform and checking the opt-in consent box, you explicitly consent to receiving communications from CollegeDirect and its partner educational institutions through:

• WhatsApp messages
• SMS / text messages
• Email
• Telephone / voice calls
• Push notifications (if you have enabled them)

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by:

• Clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in any marketing email.
• Replying “STOP” to any SMS.
• Contacting us at privacy@collegedirect.in.

9. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• HTTPS/TLS encryption for all data in transit.
• Hashed and salted password storage.
• Role-based access controls for internal systems.
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

10. Third-Party Links

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites, including college websites, news portals, and social media platforms. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of such sites.

11. Children's Privacy

Our Platform is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us at privacy@collegedirect.in and we will promptly delete such information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.
• Display a prominent notice on the Platform.
• Notify registered users by email where required by law.

Your continued use of the Platform after any changes to this Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Grievance Officer:

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in your jurisdiction.