Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

For purposes of applicable data-protection law, the organisation determining the purposes and means of processing personal data through this Platform will act as the relevant Data Fiduciary.

The Platform is operated for civic education, knowledge-building, participation and engagement relating to the history, ideas, institutions and public activities covered by the Platform.

The Platform may be supported by technology vendors, service providers, communication providers and other authorised partners who process information on our behalf.

2. Information We May Collect

Depending upon how you use the Platform, we may collect some or all of the following information:

A. Registration Information

This may include:

• Name
• Mobile number
• Email address
• State
• District/city
• Age or date of birth, where required
• Gender, where voluntarily provided
• Username or display name
• Profile photograph, where voluntarily provided
• Login and authentication information
• Postal/mailing address — collected only if you become eligible for a certificate that ships a physical swag kit (see “Certificates and Recognition” below)

B. Quiz Information

When you participate in a quiz, we may collect:

• Quiz selected
• Answers submitted
• Score
• Time taken
• Participation date and time
• Points earned and rank or leaderboard position (including on the monthly prize leaderboard)
• Completion status
• Certificate eligibility and issuance information

C. Technical Information

When you use the Platform, certain technical information may automatically be collected, including:

• IP address
• Browser and device information
• Operating system
• Device identifiers, where applicable
• Approximate location derived from technical information
• Login records
• Date and time of access
• Pages or features accessed
• Error and diagnostic information

D. Communication Information

If you contact us, we may retain:

• Your name
• Email address
• Mobile number
• Message or complaint
• Supporting information voluntarily provided by you

E. Information You Voluntarily Provide

If the Platform provides features allowing you to submit comments, photographs, feedback, testimonials or other content, we may process the information you voluntarily submit.

3. Why We Collect Your Information

We may process personal data for the following purposes:

• To register and authenticate participants.
• To enable participation in quizzes.
• To calculate scores, points and rankings.
• To maintain participation records.
• To issue certificates, badges or other recognition, including the monthly top-10 prize programme described below.
• To display leaderboard information where the relevant feature is enabled.
• To ship physical certificates and swag kits to eligible winners.
• To communicate with participants regarding quizzes, results, certificates, prizes, technical issues and Platform-related information.
• To prevent cheating, fraud, manipulation and misuse of the Platform.
• To maintain the security and integrity of the Platform.
• To improve the Platform, quizzes and user experience.
• To analyse aggregate participation and engagement trends.
• To respond to support requests and grievances.
• To comply with applicable law, legal process or lawful governmental requests.
• To protect the rights, safety, security and property of the Platform and its users.
• For other specific purposes communicated to you at the time information is collected.

We will seek to collect and process only such personal data as is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

4. Consent

Where consent is the legal basis for processing, consent will be obtained through a clear affirmative action.

Consent should be:

• Free
• Specific
• Informed
• Unambiguous
• Limited to the stated purpose

Where applicable, you may withdraw consent through the mechanism made available by the Platform.

Withdrawal of consent will not affect processing that was lawfully carried out before the withdrawal.

Certain services or features — including certificate or prize fulfilment — may no longer be available if the information necessary for that service is deleted or consent is withdrawn.

5. Children and Minors

The Platform may be accessible to users below 18 years of age.

Where applicable law requires verifiable parental or guardian consent before processing a child's personal data, we will obtain such consent through an appropriate mechanism.

We will not knowingly process children's personal data beyond what is reasonably necessary for the permitted purpose.

Where we become aware that personal data of a child has been collected without the required consent, we may take appropriate steps to delete or restrict such information, subject to applicable legal requirements.

Parents or lawful guardians may contact us regarding the personal data of a child for whom they are responsible.

6. Leaderboards and Public Information

Certain quiz features may display limited participant information publicly, such as:

• Display name
• Rank
• Points or score
• State or other broad location
• Certificate or achievement information

This includes the main leaderboard and the monthly prize leaderboard (top 10 point-scorers for the current or a past calendar month).

Where such information is displayed publicly, the Platform will endeavour to limit the information to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant feature.

Participants should avoid using sensitive personal information as usernames or publicly visible profile information.

7. Certificates and Prizes

The Platform recognises participants through three kinds of certificates:

• Participation certificate — issued automatically to an attempt that scores at or above the qualifying threshold for that quiz.
• Certificate of Excellence — a one-time, platform-wide award for sustained high performance across a user's recent attempts, shipped with a swag kit.
• Monthly Top 10 certificate — awarded to the 10 highest point-scorers of a closed calendar month, also shipped with a Certificate of Excellence and swag kit.

Where certificates, prizes, badges, rankings or other recognition are offered, we may process the information necessary to:

• Verify participation and eligibility
• Generate certificates
• Maintain verification records
• Prevent fraudulent claims
• Collect and use a postal/mailing address to ship a physical certificate and swag kit, where a swag kit forms part of the award

A certificate may contain information such as the participant's name, quiz name or period, rank, date and achievement.

A shipping address is requested only once you become eligible for an award that includes a physical swag kit, and is used solely to fulfil that shipment.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The Platform may use cookies and similar technologies for purposes including:

• Maintaining login sessions
• Security
• Remembering preferences
• Understanding Platform usage
• Improving functionality
• Measuring performance
• Generating aggregate analytics

Where required, the Platform will provide appropriate cookie controls or consent mechanisms.

You may be able to control cookies through your browser or device settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect Platform functionality.

9. Communications

We may contact registered users through email, SMS, WhatsApp, telephone or other permitted communication channels for purposes such as:

• OTP/authentication
• Registration
• Quiz reminders
• Results
• Certificates and prize/swag-kit shipping updates
• Account or security notifications
• Support
• Important Platform announcements

Where separate consent is required for promotional or marketing communications, we will obtain that consent and provide an appropriate mechanism to withdraw it.

10. Political and Civic Engagement Data

The Platform is associated with a political organisation and may provide information and quizzes concerning its history, ideas, programmes, public representatives or activities.

Participation in a quiz does not by itself establish or certify a person's political affiliation, political preference, voting intention or membership.

We will not represent that a user's participation, score or registration establishes support for any political party or candidate.

Any optional information relating to political participation or volunteering will be collected and processed only in accordance with applicable law and the notice/consent applicable to that specific activity.

11. Sharing of Personal Data

We may share personal data with the following categories of recipients where reasonably necessary:

A. Service Providers

Technology, hosting, cloud, database, analytics, cybersecurity, OTP, communication, email, SMS, WhatsApp, certificate, courier/logistics and support providers.

B. Authorised Partners

Where necessary to operate a specific quiz, event, certificate programme, prize fulfilment or engagement initiative.

C. Legal and Regulatory Authorities

Where disclosure is required by applicable law, court order, governmental direction or lawful process.

D. Security and Fraud Prevention

Where reasonably necessary to detect or investigate fraud, cheating, unauthorised access, abuse or other unlawful activity.

We do not sell your personal data as a commercial commodity.

We will not disclose personal data to third parties for unrelated purposes merely because it is available to us.

12. Data Processors

Third-party service providers may process personal data on our behalf.

Such service providers may include providers of:

• Cloud hosting
• Database infrastructure
• Cybersecurity
• Authentication
• OTP
• Email and messaging
• Analytics
• Website infrastructure
• Certificate generation
• Courier/logistics for prize and swag-kit delivery
• Customer support

We expect such providers to maintain appropriate confidentiality and security safeguards.

13. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by applicable law.

Different categories of information may be retained for different periods. For example:

• Account information may be retained while an account remains active
• Quiz results may be retained to maintain participation and certificate records
• A shipping address may be retained until the corresponding swag kit has been dispatched and for a reasonable period afterward for delivery support
• Security logs may be retained for security and compliance purposes
• Certain records may be retained where required for legal, audit or dispute-resolution purposes

Where personal data is no longer required, we may delete, anonymise or securely dispose of it, subject to applicable legal requirements.

14. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against:

• Unauthorised access
• Accidental loss
• Destruction
• Alteration
• Disclosure
• Misuse
• Other unlawful processing

Security measures may include access controls, authentication mechanisms, encryption or secure transmission where appropriate, monitoring and other safeguards.

However, no internet-based system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Users are responsible for keeping their account credentials confidential and should immediately notify us of any suspected unauthorised access.

15. Data Breaches

Where required under applicable law, we will take appropriate steps in response to a personal-data breach, including investigation, containment, remediation and notifications to relevant authorities or affected individuals where legally required.

16. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have rights relating to your personal data, including:

• Access to information about processing
• Correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Erasure of personal data where legally applicable
• Withdrawal of consent where consent is the applicable basis
• Grievance redressal
• Nomination or other rights provided by applicable law

Requests may be submitted using the contact details provided below.

We may need to verify your identity before acting on certain requests.

17. Grievance Redressal

For questions, requests or complaints concerning privacy or personal data, please contact:

• Grievance / Privacy Contact — Mera Congress Quiz
• Email: congressquiz@gmail.com

We will endeavour to acknowledge and address grievances within the time prescribed under applicable law.

18. Third-Party Websites

The Platform may contain links to websites, applications or services operated by third parties.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services.

Users should review the privacy policies of third-party websites before providing personal information to them.

19. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:

• Changes in law
• Changes in technology
• Changes to the Platform
• New features
• Changes in data-processing practices
• Security requirements

The updated version will be published on the Platform with a revised “Last Updated” date.

Where required by law, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent for material changes.

20. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy shall be governed by the laws applicable in India, subject to any mandatory rights or protections available to users under applicable law.