Privacy Policy – Solid Steps

1. Scope of the Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy shall govern the Contractual and Statutory Relationship between the Solid Steps / Website and the software applications used by it (Collectively referred to as Solid Steps) and the User(s) / Student(s). This Privacy Policy must be read together with Terms and Conditions, Delivery and Shipping Policy, Refund and Cancellation Policy, Disclaimer, End User License Agreement (EULA) as amended and updated (hereinafter referred to as Legal Documents) and all these Legal Documents shall collectively and holistically govern the relationship and use of this Website and its Services by the User(s) / Student(s).

2. Objective of Privacy Policy

Through this Privacy Policy, Solid Steps / Website intends to provide the User(s) / Student(s) a safe, protected, and reliable environment to use the Website and its Services. The User(s) / Student(s) understands, acknowledges, and agrees that the data or information that is transmitted over the Internet in the form of Chat, E-Mail, User Authentication, Accounts Login, etc. is inherently exposed to cyber and data security risks or threats. By accessing and using the Website, the User(s) / Student(s) absolutely and unconditionally agree that the Solid Steps / Website shall not be held liable in any manner and under any circumstances whatsoever for any compromise of information or data transmitting / transmitted through the Internet.

3. Handling of Personal Information and Data

Solid Steps / Website does not collect, receives, possesses, stores, deals, shares, or handles information of the User(s) / Student(s) to provide the best possible Services to them in a Proper, Legal and Authorised manner. Student names are collected for the purpose of registration only. It is an option (not mandatory) for users to update their mobile number and email ID on the Solid Steps App from the profile page. Schools may update users' mobile numbers as part of the profile setup, though it is not mandatory. The User(s) / Student(s) may get familiar with the details of the information and data collected and processed by the Solid Steps / Website through our Privacy Policy. The User(s) / Student(s) have absolutely and unambiguously read, understood, and agreed to this practice of the Solid Steps / Website. If the User(s) / Student(s) do not agree with this Privacy Policy or any of the Legal Documents, they may cease to use the Website and its Services.

4. Nature of Information Collected

Solid Steps / Website respects your Privacy and Data and assures the User(s) / Student(s) that any information provided by the User(s) / Student(s) to the Website will be protected and dealt with in accordance with this Policy. Solid Steps / Website will not provide, distribute, trade, sell or rent your name, e-mail address or other personal information provided on this Website to any third party or information related to your usage of the Website, except as provided in this Privacy Policy, Legal Documents and as per the Applicable Laws of various Jurisdictions, including India.

5. Information Collected by Website

Solid Steps / Website collect, uses, and analyses the following information, data and details by automatic and, wherever applicable, manual processes and methods:

a. Registration Purposes: To avail the Services provided by the Website, the User(s) / Student(s) do not provide any information to Solid Steps / Website.

b. Promotional and Referral Purposes: The User(s) / Student(s) give an absolute and unconditional right to Solid Steps / Website to send, offer and display “Promotional and Other Offers” from time to time to the User(s) / Student(s) accessing and using the Website/App. The User(s) / Student(s) may “opt out” of receiving any promotional communications either by choosing to opt out where such option is made available on our Website or by writing to us at Customer Service.

c. Advertisement Purposes: The User(s) / Student(s) give an absolute and unconditional right to Solid Steps / Website to display and offer online advertisements to the User(s) / Student(s) of Solid Steps / Website.

d. Compliance Purposes: The User(s) / Student(s) participating in any of the paid Scholarship or Educational Quiz / Competition / Tournaments organized by Solid Steps / Website must provide the information requested including Name, Date of Birth, Telephone number, Postal / Contact address, PAN number etc. (as applicable), and such other personal information as demanded / requested by Solid Steps / Website to confirm legal and valid human identity of such User(s) / Student(s).

e. Technical And Functionality Purposes: Solid Steps / Website also collects and stores, in an automatic manner, information such as Internet Protocol Address (IP Address), Browser Type and Language, the Date and the Time during which you accessed the Website, the referring URLs that User(s) / Student(s) used to visit the Website, etc. Further, while visiting the website, cookies may be placed on the Computer/Devices of the User(s) / Student(s) so that their use and experience can be personalized. Cookies would also be used for the purposes of authentication, content management and security. Advertisers, i.e. the Solid Steps / Website as well as the third party Advertisers / Advertising Agencies, both would also use Cookies for advertisement purposes. These third-party advertisers exclusively manage / control the Cookies relating to the advertisements placed by them on the Solid Steps / Website and whenever a User(s) / Student(s) clicks on any such advertisement, such third party advertisers will have various information about the User(s) / Student(s) clicking on such advertisements. Solid Steps / Website shall not be accountable / liable for mode / modalities used by such third-party cookies.

f. Website Stats and Analysis Purposes: Solid Steps / Website may also use software applications and other analytical methods for Website traffic analysis and to gather statistics. The information so gathered shall be used for advertising and for determining the efficacy and popularity of the Website among the public at large.

6. Information Dealing and Sharing

Solid Steps / Website shall have the absolute right to hold, manage, process, supply or share the information provided by User(s) / Student(s) as per its Policies, Legal Documents and any Applicable Laws for the time being in force. These Laws may include Laws of India and other Foreign Jurisdictions. Solid Steps / Website may share the information or data of User(s) / Student(s) for the following purposes:

a. Legal Compliance: Without prejudice to our Powers and Rights under the Policies, Legal Documents and any Applicable Law(s), Solid Steps / Website shall have the Absolute Right to share Personal Information and Data including, but not limited to, Passwords, Financial Information such as Bank Account or Credit Card or Debit Card or other Payment Instrument details, Address, E-Mails, Telephone Numbers including Mobile Number, etc with any Law Enforcement Agency of India or worldwide or with any Person or Organisation as per the requirements of any Applicable Indian or Foreign Law(s). The Website may also share personally identifiable information if sharing of such information is necessary to comply with Legal Processes or Governmental Requests, or to enforce the Legal Documents of this Website, or for Prevention Of Fraud, or for issues involving Information Security, or to protect User(s) / Student(s)’ rights or the rights of the Website or the rights of the General Public.

b. Public Information: Any information that is freely available or accessible in the public domain or furnished under the Right to Information Act, 2005 or any other Indian or Foreign Law for the time being in force shall not be regarded as sensitive personal data or information for the purposes of this Privacy Policy and the same shall not be entitled to any sort of Privacy or Data Protection. Solid Steps has Absolute Right to share any such Information or Data with any Person, Organization, Agency, whether Government or Private, etc. and shall have no obligation to protect the same from access or Non-Disclosure.

c. Winning Credentials: Solid Steps / Website may use / display such information including but not limited to the User(s) / Student(s)’s Name, E-Mail ID and the City / State Name from where the User(s) / Student(s) is participating while announcing the results of any paid Scholarship or Educational Quiz / Competition / Tournaments organized by or run on Solid Steps / Website. Such contests shall further be governed by the Legal Documents which shall be available on the Website as and when such a contest is run on the Website.

d. Marketing, Analysis, Research and SEO: Solid Steps / Website conducts periodic analysis and survey of the traffic to the Website for Market Research, Advertising and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) purposes. The Website reserves the right to share User(s) / Student(s) registration information with Website’s appointed market research and advertising companies or SEO firms from time to time for the said purposes. The Website may also use cumulative non-personal information for auditing and analysis purposes with the aim of improving its Services.

e. Change Of Ownership By Efflux of Law: If Solid Steps / Website should ever file for bankruptcy, or become insolvent, or be acquired by a third party, merge with a third party, sell all or part of its assets including the Website and its contents, or transfer substantially all or part of its relevant assets to a third party, Solid Steps / Website is entitled to share the Personal Information and all other information the User(s) / Student(s) has provided through the Services to potential and subsequent business and merger partners. The person/institution in whose favour any such transfer takes place shall be governed by the Legal Documents of this Website including this Privacy Policy.

f. Third Party Financial Services: In order to effectively utilise online bookstore / educational services of Solid Steps / Website, the User(s) / Student(s) will be required to make online payment of appropriate selling price, fee(s), charges, etc to Solid Steps / Website. This essentially involves using the services of third-party electronic payment processors and/or financial institutions (ESPs) to process such financial transactions. By accepting this Privacy Policy and other Legal Documents of the Website, the User(s) / Student(s) expressly consent that Personal Information necessary for the processing of financial transactions can be shared by Solid Steps / Website with such ESPs. Solid Steps / Website shall enter into a “Non-Disclosure Agreement” with these ESPs so that information and data of the User(s) / Student(s) can be adequately protected.

g. Security And Compliance Exercises: Solid Steps / Website and/or its authorised agent(s) shall have absolute and unfettered Right to conduct a security review or due diligence exercise at any time to validate User(s) / Student(s)’ identity, age, the registration data provided by them and to verify their use of the Services and financial transactions for potential breach of Solid Steps’ / Website’s Legal Documents or any Applicable Law, whether Indian or Foreign, for the time being in force. By using the Website, User(s) / Student(s) absolutely authorize Solid Steps / Website, its staff, agents and suppliers to use User(s) / Student(s)’ Personal Information and to disclose such Personal Information to third parties for the purposes of validating the information User(s) / Student(s) provided to the Website.

7. Written Consent in Favor of Website

By using the Website, User(s) / Student(s) clearly and unambiguously agree to grant an unconditional, permanent, and absolute consent to Solid Steps / Website to the collection and use of this information by the Website and its partners and affiliates as mentioned by this Privacy Policy and other Legal Documents. By accessing and using the Website and its Services, the User(s) / Student(s) are deemed to have granted this permission to Solid Steps / Website in writing and no further consent or permission is required to be taken by Solid Steps / Website from the User(s) / Student(s) in this regard whatsoever.

8. Security Features

In order to ensure lawful and authorised usage of its services, intellectual property rights (IPRs) and proprietary contents at all times by the User(s) / Student(s), Solid Steps / Website will use Software and other Technological Methods (hereinafter referred to as “Security Features”) so that any unauthorised usage of website or piracy or Copyright / Trademark infringement of its proprietary contents can be kept at bay. Our Security Features are designed to detect use of automated programs (Bots). Use of any “Bots” or any Software Programs not pre-approved by Solid Steps / Website violates Solid Steps / Website’s Terms and Conditions and other Legal Documents. Solid Steps / Website absolutely prohibit any such activity and to ensure that no such activity occurs at the Website or in relation to its digital and non-digital contents, Solid Steps / Website may take such actions as it deems reasonable in its sole discretion.

9. External Websites

The Website may contain automated links to other websites. Such websites are governed by their own Privacy Policies and the Solid Steps / Website does not exercise any control over them. It is exclusive and sole responsibility of the User(s) / Student(s) to read and understand the Privacy Policy of such websites and to ensure their legitimacy and cyber security when they follow a link outside the Website.

10. Opt Out Policy

The User(s) / Student(s) have the option of not providing the information asked by Solid Steps / Website or to withdraw the information or data so provided subsequently as per the Privacy Policy and other Legal Documents of the Website. However, if the User(s) / Student(s) wishes, not to share any information or data initially or decides subsequently to withdraw the information or data so already shared, Solid Steps / Website shall have absolute right to withhold all access to and Services of the Website and the User(s) / Student(s) shall not raise any objection in this regard. Any withdrawal of the consent to share information or data shall be sent in writing to the Website / Grievance Office / Customer Care personnel.

11. Modification of The Privacy Policy

Solid Steps / Website may periodically make changes to this Privacy Policy and will post the modified terms on our Website. We strongly recommend that the User(s) / Student(s) read, analyse and understand this Privacy Policy from time to time. Solid Steps / Website has no obligation to inform the User(s) / Student(s) about any change in our Privacy Policy or other Legal Documents and the User(s) / Student(s)are solely responsible to keep themselves updated about our Privacy Policy and other Legal Documents by frequently visiting the Website.

12. Corrections by Users

The User(s) / Student(s) may correct or modify any information or data provided to the Solid Steps / Website provided such correction or modification is not against Privacy Policy of other Legal Documents of the Website. Solid Steps / Website shall not be responsible for the authenticity of the personal information or sensitive personal data or information supplied by the User(s) / Student(s) in any case whatsoever.

13. Information Retention Period

Solid Steps / Website will not retain the information provided by the User(s) / Student(s) for any period longer than is required for the purposes for which the information may lawfully be used or is otherwise required under any other Law for the time being in force.

14. Grievance Redressal Mechanism

Solid Steps / Website has a designated Grievance Officer, and he/she can be contacted at [email protected] through E-mail. The Grievance Officer would redress the grievances of the User(s) / Student(s) expeditiously and within one month from the date of receipt of the grievance.

15. Copyright

Solid Steps / Website holds an exclusive, absolute, valid, and lawful Copyright over the Terms and Conditions, Delivery and Shipping Policy, Refund and Cancellation Policy, Disclaimer, End User Licence Agreement (EULA) and other Legal Documents available on Solid Steps / Website. Any Unauthorised Copying and Using of these Legal Documents or any part thereof is strictly prohibited as per the provisions of Indian Copyright Act, 1957 and other Intellectual Property Rights related and other Laws of India and other Jurisdictions. Solid Steps / Website reserves the right to prosecute any offender in this regard.