Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

UPSC OS ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you use our Service. This policy is compliant with India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA), 2023.

2. Data We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal data:

2.1 Account Information

• Name (provided during signup)
• Email address (used for authentication and communications)
• Hashed password (we never store plain-text passwords)

2.2 Study and Usage Data

• Syllabus progress and completion status
• Daily study plan tasks and completion records
• Mock test scores and submission history
• Practice question attempts and accuracy records
• Mains answer submissions and AI evaluation results
• AI mentor chat messages and conversation history
• Current affairs completion records
• Revision schedule and spaced repetition data

2.3 Technical Data

• Browser type and version
• Device type (mobile/desktop)
• IP address (collected by hosting infrastructure)
• Access timestamps

3. How We Use Your Data

Your data is used for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To provide personalized study plans, track your progress, and generate AI-powered study assistance
• AI Processing: Chat messages and answer submissions are sent to Google Gemini API for AI-powered evaluation and responses. These are processed in accordance with Google's data handling policies
• Analytics: To generate your personal performance analytics, weakness detection, and readiness scores
• Authentication: To verify your identity and secure your account
• Service Improvement: To understand usage patterns and improve the Service

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may process your data:

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any third party for marketing or advertising purposes.

5. Data Storage and Security

• All data is transmitted over HTTPS (TLS encryption in transit)
• Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms (bcrypt)
• Authentication uses JWT (JSON Web Tokens) stored in your browser's localStorage
• Database access is restricted to authenticated backend services only
• We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data

6. Cookies and Local Storage

UPSC OS uses browser localStorage to store authentication tokens (JWT) for maintaining your login session. We do not use third-party tracking cookies or advertising cookies. Essential localStorage data is required for the Service to function and cannot be disabled without losing access to your account.

7. Your Rights (Under DPDPA 2023)

As a user, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of your personal data that we hold
• Right to Correction: You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data
• Right to Erasure: You can request deletion of your personal data and account
• Right to Withdraw Consent: You can withdraw consent for data processing at any time by deleting your account
• Right to Grievance Redressal: You can raise concerns about data handling through our contact channels

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us through the feedback channels available within the app or through our official communication channels.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain data by law or for legitimate business purposes (such as resolving disputes or enforcing agreements).

9. Children's Privacy

UPSC OS is intended for users who are 13 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such data promptly.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be effective upon posting the revised policy on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact

For privacy-related inquiries, data access requests, or to report concerns, please contact the UPSC OS team through the communication channels listed on our official website or social media profiles, or through the feedback features available within the app.