1. Introduction and Commitment

Welcome to the official website of HEC Group of Institutions (hereinafter referred to as "the College," "we," "us," or "our"), accessible at heccollege.edu.in.

We are committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of our students, prospective students, faculty, staff, alumni, and all visitors to our website. This Privacy Policy details our practices and procedures regarding the collection, use, processing, storage, and disclosure of your personal data.

This policy is formulated in compliance with the applicable laws of India, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, its rules, and the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023. By using our website, you signify your understanding and agreement with the terms of this policy.

2. Definitions

3. Information We Collect (Personal Data)

We collect Personal Data through various means to provide and improve our services. The types of data we collect depend on your interaction with us:

3.1. Data You Provide Voluntarily:

• Admissions & Application Data: When you apply for a course, we collect your full name, email address, phone number, residential address, date of birth, gender, nationality, academic transcripts, mark sheets, photographs, government-issued identification (e.g., Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, Passport), and details of your parents/guardians. For reserved category applicants, we may collect caste or category certificates as per government norms.
• Enquiry & Communication Data: When you contact us via forms, email, or phone, we collect your name, contact details, and the content of your query to respond effectively.
• Event Registration Data: When you register for workshops, seminars, or college events, we collect your name, contact information, and institutional affiliation.
• Newsletter & Subscription Data: If you subscribe to our publications, we collect your email address to send you communications.
• Alumni & Donor Data: For alumni relations or donation purposes, we may collect contact details, employment history, and payment information (processed securely through a third-party gateway).

3.2. Data Collected Automatically (Technical & Usage Data):

• Log Data: Like most websites, our servers automatically record information, including your IP (Internet Protocol) address, browser type and version, operating system, the referring website, pages visited on our site, time spent on those pages, and the date and time of access.
• Cookie Data: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our website and hold certain information. Please see Section 7 on "Cookies and Tracking Technologies" for more details. This data is often anonymized and aggregated.

3.3. Data from Third-Party Sources:

• We may receive your Personal Data from third parties, such as national or state examination boards, government scholarship portals, or common application platforms, where you have authorized such sharing.

4. Purpose of Processing and Use of Your Data

We process your Personal Data for specific, explicit, and legitimate purposes, including:

• To Process Admissions: To evaluate your application, verify your credentials, and communicate with you about your admission status.
• To Provide Academic & Administrative Services: To manage student records, facilitate academic activities, conduct examinations, provide library services, and manage fee payments.
• To Communicate Effectively: To send important notices, updates about college activities, newsletters, and information about events or courses that may interest you. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time.
• To Improve Our Website: To analyze usage trends, understand user behaviour, and enhance the functionality, content, and user experience of our website.
• For Security & Compliance: To maintain the security of our digital infrastructure, prevent fraud, and comply with our legal and regulatory obligations as mandated by bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and other statutory authorities.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

Our legal basis for processing your Personal Data under the DPDP Act, 2023, is primarily:

• Your Consent: For most activities like processing applications, sending newsletters, or event registrations, we rely on the clear and specific consent you provide when submitting your information. You have the right to withdraw this consent at any time.
• Legitimate Uses: We may process data without explicit consent for certain legitimate uses as permitted by law, such as for compliance with a court order or judgment, for state functions, or to respond to a medical emergency.

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your Personal Data. We only share your data in the following circumstances and with the following parties:

• Third-Party Service Providers: We engage trusted third parties to perform functions on our behalf. These include cloud hosting providers (e.g., AWS), payment gateways (e.g., Razorpay, PayU), email service providers, and analytics services (e.g., Google Analytics). These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and may only use it to perform the services we have engaged them for.
• Government and Regulatory Bodies: We may be required to share your data with government authorities, statutory bodies (like UGC), accreditation agencies, and law enforcement agencies as required by law or regulation.
• Internal Departments: Access to your Personal Data within the College is limited to authorized personnel in relevant departments (e.g., Admissions, Academics, Finance) on a "need-to-know" basis.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small files placed on your device. We use:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for the website to function (e.g., session management).
• Analytical/Performance Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting information anonymously.
• Functionality Cookies: Used to recognize you when you return to our website and remember your preferences.

You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our website.

8. Data Retention

We retain your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable laws and regulations. For example:

• Unsuccessful application data may be retained for one academic year for statistical purposes.
• Enrolled student records are retained for a longer period as mandated by university and UGC regulations.

9. Data Security

We are committed to protecting your data. We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational security measures, including:

• Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption for data transmission.
• Restricted access controls to ensure only authorized personnel can access Personal Data.
• Regular security assessments and updates to our systems.

Despite our best efforts, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure.

10. Your Rights as a Data Principal

Under the DPDP Act, 2023, you have the following rights concerning your Personal Data:

• Right to Access: You have the right to request a summary of your Personal Data that we are processing.
• Right to Correction and Erasure: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate data or completion of incomplete data, and the right to request the erasure of your data once the purpose for its collection is served.
• Right to Grievance Redressal: You have the right to have any grievances regarding your data processing addressed by our Grievance Officer.
• Right to Nominate: You have the right to nominate another individual who can exercise these rights on your behalf in the event of your death or incapacity.

To exercise these rights, please contact our Grievance Officer.

11. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to other websites not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that site. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content or privacy practices of any third-party sites.

12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Privacy Policy and any disputes arising from it shall be governed by the laws of India. The courts in Delhi, India, will have exclusive jurisdiction over any such disputes.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

14. Contact Us