1. Introduction

The India Genius Challenge (“we”, “us”, “our” or “IGC”) values your privacy and is committed to protecting personal information relating to you (“you”, “your” or “User”). Personal Data refers to information about you that can identify you, such as your name, location, date of birth or phone number (“Personal Data”). This Privacy Policy explains what Personal Data we collect and process, why we collect it, how we use it, with whom we may share your Personal Data, and your rights regarding your Personal Data.

This Privacy Policy applies to your interaction with us through our websiteindiageniuschallenge.com(“Platform”), in connection with your participation in the IGC, including the online and offline stages of the IGC, as well as any content, services, or features made available through the Platform.

Please note that this Privacy Policy applies only to Personal Data collected through the Platform. Personal Data collected during any in-person events conducted as part of Stage 2 of the IGC will be governed by a separate privacy policy or notice shared at the time of such collection in accordance with the applicable data privacy laws.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms of Use, and any other specific privacy notices provided when your Personal Data is collected. If there is a conflict between this Privacy Policy and a specific privacy notice, the terms of the specific privacy notice will prevail.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to our affiliates or partners, each of whom may have their own privacy policies. In situations where you interact with such partners, we strongly encourage you to review the applicable privacy policy for that particular site, service, or interaction.

2. What data do we process and why?

We collect limited Personal Data from and about you when you interact with or use the Platform in connection with your participation in the IGC. The types of Personal Data we collect depend on the nature of your interaction with the Platform and the stage of your participation. Here is an activity- wise description:

2.1. When you visit and attempt the Challenge without signing up

Anyone can visit the Platform and attempt the quizzes, questions, puzzles, etc. (“Challenge”) associated with the IGC. At this stage we do not collect or store any Personal Data. Your attempts of the Challenge and your subsequent scores are not retained beyond the active session, and are not linked to your identity.

2.2. When you choose to sign up on the Platform

When you choose to sign up with us on the Platform, we may collect and process the following Personal Data:

• Name
• Date of Birth or Age
• Location (City or Town, State)
• Phone number (Parent’s or Legal Guardian’s phone number if you are below 18 years of age)
• Parent name and OTP (if you are below 18 years of age and the submitted Phone number is of Parent or Legal Guardian)
• Your scores and participation records in IGC, post-registration on the Platform.
• Name, address and contact details of the school or institution

We process your Personal Data for the following purposes:

• To enable and manage your registration and participation in the IGC;
• To verify your age and obtain parental consent, if you are under 18 years of age;
• To track your progress and performance across different stages of the IGC and display rankings on a leaderboard;
• To determine eligibility for rewards, digital gifts, etc., and/or selection for Stage 2 of the Challenge;
• To contact you or your parent/guardian regarding your participation, if needed;
• To maintain records and analytics related to participation in the IGC;
• To improve our Platform; and
• To comply with legal obligations and protect our Platform.

When you participate in the Challenge after signing up on the Platform, we may display your performance on a public leaderboard (“Leaderboard”), which is accessible to all users of the Platform. The Leaderboard displays top-scoring participants and their relative performance based on city or town-level classifications.

We may process and publicly display the following limited Personal Data on the Leaderboard:

• Your username (or first name, as may be displayed on the Platform);
• Your city or town and state;
• Your score and rank (including daily, weekly, or monthly performance);
• Your school or institution name.

We process and display this information for the following purposes:

• To recognise and encourage top performers in the IGC;
• To foster a spirit of healthy competition among participants;
• To provide transparency and visibility into participant progress at the city or town level;
• To promote the IGC and its reach across different locations in India;
• To maintain records of participant performance as part of the structure of the IGC.

2.3. When you contact us to raise a grievance or complaint

When you contact our support team via email to raise issues or inquiries, we process your name, username (if any), email address, registered phone number, details of the issue, and communication logs, if any. We collect this to verify your identity, address your complaints, and contact you with responses or resolutions.

2.4. When you engage with us on social media platforms

When you interact with us on social media, we may process your publicly available Personal Data such as full name, username, profile picture, and comments. We use this to respond to your posts, gather feedback, improve Challenges, and analyse engagement.

3. Where we collect your Personal Data from

We may collect your Personal Data from:

• Personal Data you provide directly, through our Platform or when communicating with us.
• Personal Data we collect automatically through cookies and similar technologies.
• Personal Data we receive from third parties like analytics providers or social media channels, collected with consent or as legally permitted.

4. Who we share your data with

We share your Personal Data with third parties in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

5. How long do we keep your Personal Data

We keep your Personal Data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined, after which it is securely deleted. You may request deletion via support@IndiaGeniusChallenge.com.

6. Your rights

• Right to access information about your Personal Data
• Right to seek correction and erasure
• Right to grievance redressal
• Right to Nominate another individual
• Right to opt out of processing based on consent

7. How we protect your Personal Data

We implement technical and organisational measures to protect Personal Data from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Despite our efforts, no system is completely secure. If you suspect an issue, please contact us immediately.

8. Third Parties and Links

Our Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services not under our control. Your data shared there will be governed by their policies. We are not responsible for their content or data handling practices.

9. Cookies and other tracking technologies

We use cookies to improve user experience and analyse usage. Cookies store information such as IP address, browser type, and preferences. You may disable cookies through your browser settings, but doing so may limit functionality.

10. Children’s Privacy

IGC and the Platform are intended for students aged 13–18. We do not knowingly collect data from minors without parental consent. Parents can review or delete their child’s data by contacting us.

11. How to contact us

For any questions or grievances, contact our Grievance Redressal Officer at support@IndiaGeniusChallenge.com. We aim to acknowledge within 24 hours and resolve within 15 days.

12. Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may modify this Policy from time to time. Updates will be posted on our website and become effective immediately upon publication. Your continued use of the Platform constitutes consent to the updated Policy.