Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information when you interact with our website and services:

• Personal Details — Full name and phone number when you register, take our AI Career Test, or use the Cutoff Calculator.
• Academic Information — Subject marks, stream preferences, and community category entered in our tools.
• Usage Data — Pages visited, features used, and interactions on the website (collected automatically).
• Contact Form Data — Name, email, phone number, and message when you reach out to us.

2. How We Use Your Information

The information we collect is used solely to improve your experience and provide our career guidance services:

• To deliver personalised career recommendations and college suggestions.
• To calculate and display cutoff scores relevant to your academic profile.
• To contact you regarding your enquiries, test results, or admission guidance.
• To improve the quality and accuracy of our tools and content.
• To send important updates about our services (only with your consent).

3. Sharing of Information

We respect your privacy. We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. Your data may only be shared in the following limited circumstances:

• With our internal counselling team to provide you with personalised guidance.
• When required by law or a valid legal process.
• To protect the rights and safety of Merit Career Guidance Academy and its users.

4. Cookies & Session Data

We use browser sessions and cookies to enhance your experience on our website. This includes:

• Remembering your name and phone number so you don't have to re-enter them on every page.
• Storing your test progress temporarily during the AI Career Test.
• Tracking basic analytics to understand how visitors use our site.

You can disable cookies through your browser settings at any time, though some features may not function correctly without them.

5. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, misuse, or disclosure. All data submitted through our forms is handled securely on our servers.

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We encourage you to avoid sharing sensitive financial or government-issued identification details through our platform.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to the personal data we hold about you.
• Request correction or deletion of your personal data.
• Withdraw consent for us to contact you at any time.
• Opt out of any communications from us.

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

7. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites such as college portals, government resources, or social media platforms. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before submitting any personal information.

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are designed for students aged 15 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 without verified parental consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services or applicable laws. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to check this page periodically.