Privacy Policy

Section 1: Introduction

Welcome to TALASH ("we," "our," "us"). Your privacy is crucial to us, and we are committed to protecting the personal information you provide while using our website and services. This Privacy Policy explains clearly how we collect, use, share, and safeguard your data when you visit our website, create an account, engage with our career counseling services, or otherwise interact with us.

By accessing or using our website ("Website") or any of our online services, career assessments, personalized recommendations, or other offered services (collectively, the "Services"), you explicitly consent to this Privacy Policy. Your use of TALASH's Services confirms that you have carefully read, understood, and agreed to the terms outlined herein.

This Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions apply primarily to students, parents, counselors, mentors, educational institutions, and any entity utilizing TALASH within Pakistan or globally. TALASH operates under Pakistani jurisdiction. However, any attempts to harm, duplicate, reverse-engineer, defame, scam, or misuse our services will subject the violating party to legal action according to applicable laws within their respective country or jurisdiction.

TALASH reserves the right to modify or update these policies and Terms and Conditions at any time without prior notice. Users are encouraged to periodically review these pages. Your continued use of the website after changes have been posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.

Section 2: Information We Collect

TALASH collects specific categories of information to deliver accurate, personalized, and effective career counseling services. This information enables us to better understand your needs, deliver tailored recommendations, and continually improve our services.

A. Information You Provide

We collect the following information through our website, primarily during registration, pre-assessment activities, or form submissions:

• Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• City of Residence
• Guardian's Full Name, Profession, and Phone Number (for student users)
• Education level and academic records
• Responses submitted during the career assessment

B. Information We Generate

Our proprietary assessment system generates analytical data based on your responses. This includes:

• Personality traits, interests, aptitudes, and behavioral indicators
• Scoring summaries and career profiling outputs
• Anonymized data (not linked to you) to improve our assessments and services

C. Technical Information

When you use our website, we automatically collect:

• Device Data: IP address, device type, and browser
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, and clicks to make our platform better and more secure

We collect this information lawfully, with your consent, and only for specific purposes outlined below.

Section 3: How We Collect Information

TALASH collects data through transparent, structured interactions with users. Information is gathered only to support the delivery of our core services.

A. Sign-up

When you create an account, you provide your name, email, and other basic details.

B. Pre-Assessment Forms

Before accessing our assessment tools, users complete a form providing academic, guardian, and contact information to personalize the experience.

C. Career Assessments

All user responses to our assessment are recorded to generate tailored career insights and recommendations.

D. Direct Communication and Forms

Information may also be collected through Google Forms, custom surveys, feedback mechanisms, or during live sessions with counselors.

E. Platform Interaction Data

We may collect limited technical data (e.g., IP address, session times, navigation patterns, cookies) for analytics and security purposes. This data is not linked to personal academic records or assessments.

Section 4: Purpose and Use of Data

TALASH collects and processes user data solely to deliver relevant, effective, and personalized career guidance. Our data usage is purposeful and never extends beyond what is necessary to serve our systems, promotions, analytics, users, counselors, or affiliated institutions.

A. Counselor and Mentor Interaction

• Sharing relevant student data with assigned counselors for effective guidance
• Ensuring all sessions are based on complete, personalized information

B. Institution-Specific Services

• Sharing relevant data with affiliated institutions for tailored student support
• Enabling schools or academies to provide better counseling, workshops, and academic planning

C. Platform Improvement and Research

• Using anonymized and aggregated data to evaluate platform features and improve service quality
• Researching to understand student trends, preferences, and decision-making patterns

D. Marketing and Communication

• Using contact information to share educational resources, newsletters, and service updates
• Running marketing campaigns or personalized content sharing

E. Compliance and Legal Protection

• Retaining data as required to meet legal, institutional, or regulatory obligations
• Investigating potential misuse, fraud, or abuse of platform services
• Protecting platform integrity and user trust

Section 5: Third-Party Data Sharing

TALASH only shares user data with trusted third parties when it is necessary to deliver services, improve platform functionality, or meet legal and institutional obligations.

A. Payment Processors

• Limited personal details such as name, phone number, and email address are shared with secure payment providers for transaction processing
• No educational or assessment data is shared with payment platforms
• TALASH is not liable for issues arising within the payment gateway system, but ensures reputable partnerships

B. Counselors and Mentors

• User data is shared only with assigned counselors to support effective, personalized guidance
• Shared data includes assessment results, academic background, and relevant notes
• Counselors are contractually obligated to use data ethically and maintain confidentiality

C. Educational Institutions

• Student data may be shared with affiliated institutions for academic planning and student development
• Shared only with institutions the student is officially enrolled
• Aims to enhance institutional understanding and improve student support programs

D. Analytics and Tracking Tools

• Non-identifiable technical data (IP, device, session logs) may be used by tools like Google Analytics
• Data is used for internal analytics only and is not linked to assessment or academic content

E. Legal or Security-Driven Disclosures

• User data may be disclosed to law enforcement or regulatory authorities when legally required
• Disclosures are made only in good faith and limited to what is necessary to resolve the issue
• This includes investigation of fraud, abuse, violations, or security breaches

All third parties we work with are required to protect your data and use it only for the intended purpose. We're not responsible for third-party actions beyond our control (e.g., payment processor errors), but we choose reputable partners to minimize risks.

Section 6: Consent and Parental Responsibility

TALASH serves students from Grade 8 onward, which includes users who may be minors under legal definitions in various jurisdictions.

A. User Consent

• By registering on TALASH, using our services, or completing our assessments, users give explicit consent to our data collection and processing as described in this Privacy Policy
• Users accept that their data may be used for personalized counseling, assessment analysis, platform optimization, and communication purposes
• Consent is considered ongoing throughout the user's interaction with TALASH. Continued use constitutes reaffirmation of agreement

B. Parental Responsibility

• TALASH assumes that students under the age of 18 have obtained the consent of their parent or legal guardian before using the platform
• Guardians are encouraged to supervise and remain aware of their child's use of the platform, including the nature of data shared

C. Age of Responsibility

• Users and their guardians are responsible for providing accurate information and ensuring legitimate use of services
• TALASH is not liable for inaccurate or unauthorized access by minors, but will act in good faith to address any concerns presented by legal guardians

Section 7: International Use & Jurisdiction

TALASH is a Pakistan-based platform developed to support students, counselors, and institutions primarily aligned with the Pakistani education system. However, the platform is accessible globally and may be used by individuals in other countries who are seeking guidance based on Pakistani academic frameworks.

A. Primary Jurisdiction

• All services offered by TALASH are governed by the laws of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• Users, regardless of their location, agree that Pakistani law applies to any dispute or legal matter related to the use of our services
• Legal proceedings, if any, will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in Pakistan

B. International Access and Responsibility

• TALASH welcomes global users, especially those following the Pakistani curriculum or planning to pursue higher education in Pakistan
• Users are solely responsible for ensuring their use of the platform complies with the laws and regulations of their respective countries
• TALASH does not guarantee service availability, legal compliance, or educational applicability outside the Pakistani context

C. Protection Against Misuse, Abuse, and Unlawful Replication

• TALASH reserves the right to protect its systems, content, and intellectual property from unauthorized use, duplication, or misrepresentation
• Any individual or entity attempting to copy, reverse-engineer, exploit, defame, or impersonate TALASH will be subject to legal action
• Violations may be pursued under the violator's local laws, international IP protection agreements, or Pakistan's cybercrime laws
• Use of TALASH implies acceptance of these protections by users from any jurisdiction

Section 8: Data Misuse & User Rights

TALASH is committed to transparent, lawful, and ethical data handling. We believe users have the right to know how their data is used and to expect that it will never be misused. All data-related practices are clearly described in this Privacy Policy to ensure informed consent and mutual protection.

A. Transparent Disclosure and Informed Consent

• All purposes for collecting and using user data are openly disclosed in this Privacy Policy
• By using TALASH, users explicitly agree to these practices, and consent is recorded during registration and reaffirmed through ongoing use
• Therefore, no claims of data misuse will be considered valid if the use falls within the documented and accepted policy terms

B. Right to Access and Request Deletion

• Users may request deletion of their data by contacting us through our general support channels
• TALASH will make reasonable efforts to accommodate such requests, subject to:
  • Technical feasibility
  • Legal or research-based retention obligations
  • Verification of identity to prevent unauthorized changes
• Some data may remain archived or anonymized for analytics, improvement, or compliance purposes

C. Platform Usage Implies Ongoing Agreement

• Continued use of TALASH indicates continued agreement with the data practices described in this Privacy Policy
• Users acknowledge that their engagement implies consent, unless a specific and validated deletion request is submitted and processed
• This structure ensures clarity, fairness, and platform protection in all user interactions

Your data's safety is crucial to us. We use:

• Encryption: To secure data during transmission and storage
• Access Controls: To limit who can view your information
• Secure Servers: To store data safely

While we take every reasonable step to protect your data, no system is 100% immune to hacking. In the unlikely event of a data breach, we'll notify you promptly and take action to fix it. TALASH is not liable for unauthorized access beyond our control, provided we've implemented appropriate security measures.

Section 9: Policy Updates & User Responsibility

TALASH may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, features, legal obligations, or data handling practices. These updates are designed to ensure the policy remains current, compliant, and aligned with our mission to protect user privacy.

A. Right to Modify the Policy

We reserve the right to update the Privacy Policy at any time without direct notice to individual users. Updates may reflect:

• Expansion or modification of services
• Introduction of new features or tools
• Enhanced data protection measures
• Adjustments to comply with changing regulations

B. User's Responsibility to Stay Informed

• Users are encouraged to review this Privacy Policy periodically
• Continued use of TALASH after changes are posted will be interpreted as acceptance of the revised terms
• The latest version will always be available on our website for public access

C. No Separate Notification Obligation

• TALASH is not required to send direct notifications (e.g., via email or SMS) about updates to this policy
• Use of the platform signifies the user's responsibility to remain updated

Section 10: Data Storage, Security, and Cookies

• All user data collected by TALASH is securely stored on Amazon Web Services (AWS) servers
• All sensitive personal data, including account credentials and assessment responses, is encrypted and password-protected
• TALASH uses essential cookies solely for user authentication and login session management

Section 11: Contact

For general inquiries, feedback, or questions regarding this Privacy Policy, users may contact the TALASH team using the details available on our website's Contact Us page. We reserve the right to respond at our discretion and within the limits of our operational, technical, or legal capacity.