Privacy Policy

Introduction

Akshar Institute ("the Institute," "we," "us," or "our") operates coaching classes for students preparing for JEE, NEET, HSC Board, and other competitive examinations, with branches located at Goregaon, Mumbai, Maharashtra.

This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information obtained from students, parents, guardians, website visitors, and any other individuals who interact with our services — whether online through our website or offline at our premises.

By enrolling in our courses, using our website, or communicating with us via phone, email, or WhatsApp, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please refrain from using our services.

Information We Collect

We collect information that is necessary to provide you with high-quality educational services. The categories of information we collect include:

How We Use Your Information

Akshar Institute uses the personal information collected for the following purposes:

• Admission & Enrolment: Processing applications, confirming enrolment, and placing students in appropriate batches.
• Course Delivery: Providing teaching, study materials, mock tests, doubt-clearing sessions, and academic support throughout the course.
• Performance Tracking: Monitoring attendance, internal test scores, and academic progress to provide personalised guidance.
• Communication: Sending class schedules, exam timetables, result announcements, fee reminders, and important Institute updates via phone, WhatsApp, email, or SMS.
• Fee Management: Processing fee payments, issuing receipts, managing instalment schedules, and handling refund requests.
• Legal Compliance: Maintaining records required by educational regulations, tax laws, or any applicable legal obligation.
• Promotional Activities: Sharing topper achievements, batch highlights, and student success stories on notice boards, social media, and the Institute website (with appropriate consent).
• Service Improvement: Analysing feedback and usage patterns to improve our teaching methods, materials, and overall student experience.
• Safety & Security: Maintaining records to ensure the safety of students on Institute premises.

Information Sharing & Disclosure

Akshar Institute does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for commercial gain. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: We may share data with trusted service providers (e.g., payment gateways, SMS/email platforms, cloud storage providers) who assist in operating our services. These providers are contractually bound to protect your data.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or government authority, or if necessary to protect the rights and safety of the Institute, students, or staff.
• Academic Institutions: With your consent, we may share academic performance data or recommendation letters with universities or examination boards on your behalf.
• Emergency Situations: In case of a medical or safety emergency involving a student, we may share relevant contact information with emergency services or medical personnel.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or restructuring of the Institute, student data may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to the same privacy protections.

Cookies & Website Data

Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience and understand how visitors interact with our site.

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function correctly. These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics Cookies: Used to collect anonymised data about page visits, session duration, and traffic sources to help us improve the website.
• Preference Cookies: Store your settings (e.g., language preferences) so you do not have to re-enter them on every visit.

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. Our website does not currently use advertising or tracking cookies from third-party ad networks.

Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy and comply with our legal obligations.

• Active Students: Data is retained for the entire duration of enrolment and for a period of 5 years after the course ends, for academic records and alumni purposes.
• Financial Records: Payment and transaction records are retained for 7 years as required by Indian tax and accounting laws.
• Enquiry Data: Information from website or phone enquiries that did not result in enrolment is retained for a maximum of 12 months.
• Website Analytics: Anonymised website usage data may be retained for up to 24 months for trend analysis.

After the applicable retention period, personal data is securely deleted or anonymised so that it can no longer be associated with any individual.

Your Rights

You have the following rights with respect to your personal information held by Akshar Institute:

• Right to Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Correction: If any information we hold is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request that it be corrected.
• Right to Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal data, subject to our legal obligations to retain certain records.
• Right to Object: You may object to your data being used for promotional or marketing purposes at any time.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where data processing is based on your consent (e.g., use of photographs for promotion), you may withdraw consent at any time by notifying us in writing.
• Right to Portability: You may request your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format where technically feasible.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 12. We will respond to all legitimate requests within 15 working days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.

Children's Privacy

Akshar Institute serves students from Class 9 onwards, many of whom are minors (under 18 years of age). We take special care with the data of minors.

• Enrolment of students under 18 requires the signature and consent of a parent or legal guardian.
• Parents and guardians have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of their child's personal data at any time.
• We do not knowingly collect personal data from children for any purpose beyond what is necessary for the delivery of educational services.
• Photographs or performance data of minor students will not be shared on any public platform without explicit written consent from the parent or guardian.

Security of Your Data

Akshar Institute implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure.

• Physical records are stored in locked, access-controlled office premises.
• Digital records are stored on password-protected systems with restricted access limited to authorised personnel only.
• Payment transactions are processed through secure, encrypted payment gateways. We do not store full card or banking credentials.
• Staff are trained on data handling practices and confidentiality obligations.
• We conduct periodic reviews of our data security practices to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites, social media platforms (YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram), or partner services. These third-party sites have their own independent privacy policies, and Akshar Institute has no control over or responsibility for their content or practices.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit through links on our site. Clicking on a third-party link does not constitute an endorsement of that site or its privacy practices.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

Akshar Institute reserves the right to update or revise this Privacy Policy at any time. When we make material changes, we will:

• Post the updated policy on our website with a revised "Last Updated" date.
• Notify enrolled students via WhatsApp, email, or a notice at the Institute office.
• For significant changes affecting how we process your data, we may seek your renewed consent where required by law.

Your continued use of our services after the revised policy is posted constitutes your acceptance of the changes. We encourage you to check this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.

📞 Contact & Grievances

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise any of your rights, or have a privacy-related grievance, please contact our designated Privacy Officer through any of the channels below. We are committed to resolving all privacy concerns promptly and fairly.