Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Veda Nidhi Samsthana ("we", "our", or "Academy") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your rights regarding your personal data.

By using our exam registration portal and submitting an application, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of personal information for exam registration and certificate issuance:

Personal Identifiers

• Student name (in Devanagari script)
• Father's name (in Devanagari script)
• Date of birth
• Age
• Gender

Contact Information

• Mobile phone number
• Email address (optional)
• Permanent address (full postal address)
• Village/Place, Taluk, District, State, PIN code

Government Identification

• Aadhaar verification (QR code scan for identity confirmation)
• We store only the last 4 digits of your Aadhaar number
• Aadhaar QR images are deleted immediately after verification

Photographs

• Student photograph (for hall ticket and certificate)

Educational Information

• Exam year and level
• Veda, Shakha (branch), Sutra
• Pathashala (affiliated school) details
• Guru (teacher) details

Religious and Cultural Information

• Gotra (ancestral lineage) - optional
• Veda affiliation

3. Why We Collect This Information

We collect and process your personal information for the following purposes:

• Exam Registration: To register you for Veda examinations and verify your identity
• Hall Ticket Generation: To create and issue hall tickets with your photo and details
• Results Processing: To process and publish your examination results
• Certificate Issuance: To generate official certificates upon successful completion
• Communication: To contact you regarding exam schedules, results, and important updates via SMS, email, or WhatsApp
• Record Keeping: To maintain educational records as required by law

4. Who Has Access to Your Information

Your personal information is accessible only to authorized personnel:

• Your Guru: Can view and manage applications for students they registered
• Academy Administrators: Can access all applications for exam management, hall ticket generation, results processing, and certificate issuance
• No Third Parties: We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes

All access to your data is logged and monitored. Only authenticated users with a legitimate educational purpose can access student information.

5. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain your personal information for the following periods:

• Application Data: 7 years (educational record retention requirement)
• Student Photographs: Duration of enrollment plus 7 years
• Aadhaar QR Images: Deleted immediately after verification (not stored)
• Audit Logs: 90 days (for security monitoring)

After the retention period, your data will be securely deleted unless we are legally required to retain it longer.

6. Your Rights

Under applicable data protection laws, you have the following rights:

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of your personal data we hold
• Right to Correction: You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to Deletion: You can request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Right to Object: You can object to processing of your data for certain purposes

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact information below.

7. Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information:

• Authentication: Access requires Firebase authentication (email or phone verification)
• Encryption: All data transmitted over HTTPS (encrypted connections)
• Access Controls: Gurus can only access students they registered; admins have controlled access
• Audit Logging: All access to personal data is logged and monitored
• Data Minimization: Aadhaar images deleted immediately after verification
• Regular Security Audits: Periodic review of security practices and access controls

8. Data Processing Location

Your data is stored using Firebase/Google Cloud services, with data centers located globally. Google Cloud complies with international data protection standards including ISO 27001, SOC 2, and regional regulations.

9. Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses minimal cookies for essential functionality (maintaining your login session). We do not use third-party tracking or advertising cookies.

10. WhatsApp Messaging

We use the WhatsApp Business Platform (powered by Meta) to send exam-related notifications to students and gurus who have opted in. This section explains how we handle your data in connection with WhatsApp messaging.

What messages we send

• Application submission confirmations
• Application approval/rejection notifications
• Hall ticket availability alerts
• Exam result notifications

All messages are transactional and related to examinations only. We do not send marketing or promotional messages.

Consent and opt-in

WhatsApp notifications are sent only to users who have explicitly opted in by checking the consent checkbox on the application form. You may withdraw consent at any time by replying STOP to any WhatsApp message received from us, or by contacting us at the address below.

Data shared with Meta (WhatsApp)

• Your mobile phone number (to deliver the message)
• Your name, application ID, and exam-related details (included in message content)

We do not share any other personal data (Aadhaar details, photographs, addresses) via WhatsApp. Message delivery is governed by WhatsApp's Privacy Policy and WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.

Message retention

We do not store the content of WhatsApp messages sent. Delivery status and message IDs are logged for troubleshooting purposes and retained for 90 days.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date and notify you through the application portal.

12. Contact Us

13. Consent

By submitting an application through our exam registration portal, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and retention of your personal information as described herein.