Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 2025 | Effective Date: July 1, 2025

1. Introduction

Mentora (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our 1:1 online mentoring platform (the “Service”). By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

We are dedicated to maintaining the trust and confidence of our users, particularly parents and guardians who entrust us with their children's educational journey. This policy reflects our commitment to transparency, accountability, and data protection best practices.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information Provided by You

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when using our Service:

Parent/Guardian Information: Full name, email address, phone number, and communication preferences
Student Information: Full name, grade/class, school name, date of birth, and academic profile
Academic Information: Subjects of interest, learning goals, areas for improvement, and performance data
Booking Information: Session schedules, mentor preferences, booking history, and payment details
Communication Data: Messages, feedback, and interactions with mentors and support staff
Account Information: Username, password (encrypted), and security questions

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

We automatically collect certain information when you visit our platform:

Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, and unique device identifiers
Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, click patterns, and navigation paths
Session Information: Login times, session duration, and feature usage statistics
Location Data: Approximate geographic location based on IP address (not precise GPS location)
Cookies and Similar Technologies: Cookie IDs, web beacons, and local storage data

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party sources:

Payment Processors: Transaction data and payment confirmation from Razorpay, Stripe, or similar services
Social Media: Profile information if you choose to sign up via social media accounts
Referral Sources: Information about how you discovered our platform
Background Check Services: Mentor verification and credential confirmation

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Service Provision: To provide, maintain, and improve our mentoring services
Booking Management: To process bookings, schedule sessions, and manage payments
Communication: To send session reminders, notifications, updates, and promotional content
Mentor Matching: To match students with suitable mentors based on academic needs and preferences
Personalization: To personalize the learning experience and recommend relevant mentors or subjects
Analytics: To analyze usage patterns, improve user experience, and develop new features
Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, and security threats
Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal requests
Marketing: To send marketing communications (with your consent)
Research: To conduct research and analysis to improve our educational offerings

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

Contractual Necessity: To fulfill our obligations under our service agreement with you
Consent: When you provide explicit consent for specific processing activities
Legitimate Interests: For purposes that are necessary for our legitimate business interests
Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations
Vital Interests: To protect the vital interests of individuals in emergency situations

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We respect your privacy and do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

5.1 With Mentors

We share relevant student information with assigned mentors to conduct sessions effectively. This includes student name, grade, subject preferences, learning goals, and booking schedules. Mentors are bound by confidentiality agreements and data protection policies.

5.2 With Service Providers

We engage trusted third-party service providers to assist in operating our platform. These include:

Payment Processors: Razorpay, Stripe, or similar for payment processing
Email Services: Resend for transactional and marketing emails
Video Conferencing: Jitsi or similar for online sessions
Cloud Services: Vercel, Supabase for hosting and data storage
Analytics Services: Google Analytics for usage analysis

All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the specified purposes.

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law, court order, government request, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users or others.

5.4 Business Transfers

In connection with any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

5.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties with your explicit consent for specific purposes.

6. Data Security

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

Encryption: Data is encrypted in transit using SSL/TLS and at rest using industry-standard encryption
Access Controls: Strict access controls and authentication mechanisms for our systems
Regular Audits: Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
Employee Training: All employees undergo data protection and security training
Secure Facilities: Our data centers are located in secure facilities with physical security measures
Breach Notification: We will notify you within 72 hours of becoming aware of a data breach

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for different periods depending on the purpose:

Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for 2 years after account closure
Booking Records: Retained for 7 years for legal and tax purposes
Payment Records: Retained for 7 years to comply with financial regulations
Communication Logs: Retained for 2 years for service quality and dispute resolution
Analytics Data: Retained in anonymized/aggregated form indefinitely for analysis
Marketing Data: Retained until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent

After the retention period expires, we securely delete or anonymize your information unless required by law to retain it longer.

8. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
Right to Restrict Processing: Request restriction of processing of your information
Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your information to another service
Right to Object: Object to processing of your information based on legitimate interests
Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time for consent-based processing
Right to Complain: Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

To exercise these rights, please contact us at Contact.mentoraedu@gmail.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

9. Children's Privacy

Our platform is designed for students under the age of 18. We have special protections in place:

Parental Consent: We collect personal information only from parents or legal guardians
Age Verification: We verify that users registering are parents/guardians, not minors
Limited Data Collection: We collect only information necessary for educational purposes
No Marketing to Minors: We do not directly market to students under 18
Parental Control: Parents can review, modify, or delete their child's information at any time
Safe Environment: All mentors undergo background checks and are trained in child safety

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience:

Essential Cookies: Required for the platform to function properly
Performance Cookies: Help us understand how the platform is used
Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (with consent)

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our platform. We use Google Analytics and similar tools for analytics purposes.

11. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of such third-party sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. Our inclusion of links does not imply endorsement of the linked sites.

12. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws. When we transfer your information internationally, we use standard contractual clauses or other legally approved mechanisms.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by:

Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
Updating the “Last updated” date
Sending an email notification to registered users
Displaying a prominent notice on our platform

Your continued use of our Service after the effective date of the revised Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

14. Compliance with Data Protection Laws

We are committed to complying with applicable data protection laws, including:

Information Technology Act, 2000 (India): Including the SPDI Rules 2011
Personal Data Protection Bill (India): Once enacted
GDPR: For users in the European Union
CCPA/CPRA: For users in California
COPPA: For children's online privacy protection

15. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you without undue delay and within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach. The notification will include:

Description of the nature of the breach
Categories of personal information affected
Likely consequences of the breach
Measures taken to address the breach
Steps you can take to protect yourself

16. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: Contact.mentoraedu@gmail.com
Website: https://mentora.in
Instagram: @mentoraa.ai
Address: Patna, Bihar, India

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days of receipt. For complaints related to data protection, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in your jurisdiction.

17. Specific Provisions for Indian Users

For users in India, we adhere to the following additional provisions:

Data Localization: Critical personal data is stored in India
Consent Manager: We maintain a consent manager for tracking user consents
Grievance Officer: We have appointed a Grievance Officer for data protection matters
Right to Forgotten: Users can request deletion of their data as per applicable laws