1.

Information that IIT Madras collects from you (including Personal Information)

IIT Madras directly collects information when you:

● sign up for an IIT Madras Online Degree user account

● register and participate in online courses

● send email messages to IIT Madras Online Degree support (including messages to learner support)

participate in user surveys; and

● participate in public forums, webinars, and other interactive experiences on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site. IIT Madras also indirectly collects usage information about your visit to the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, as explained in the section below titled ‘Cookies and Tracking Technologies’.

IIT Madras does not itself collect or store financial account numbers or identification issued by a governmental entity, employer, or other authority. Instead, if you choose to make a payment on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, for example to register for Proctored Exams, you will be directed to IIT Madras’s third-party payment processor and IIT Madras’s third-party ID verification service provider. If you do not wish to submit the required authentication or payment information, then you will not be able to register for an IIT Madras Online Degree exam and earn a certificate/degree.

IIT Madras requires your Personal Information in circumstances when you:

● Sign up in IIT Madras Online Degree Website (name, email address)

● Register in an IIT Madras Online Degree course

● Participate in proctored exams or other course facilitation processes (so that IIT Madras’s third-party vendor can monitor and assess the integrity of your course activity); or

● Earn a Certificate/ Degree (the certificate will have your name on it).

To the extent that IIT Madras associates the information that IIT Madras collects directly or indirectly with an individual (for example, you), the association is based on Personal Information in your account profile.

You may voluntarily choose to share additional Personal Information on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site. For example:

● in applying for financial assistance; or

● when participating in a course, forum, webinar, or other interactive experience on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site (noting that in some cases, this information is shared with a third party that provides tools or other assistance for the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site or a course).

IIT Madras encourages you to use discretion before voluntarily sharing additional Personal Information on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site. (If you later choose to delete your IIT Madras account, deletion of your Personal Information will be subject to the process and limits outlined below.)

2.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies on the IIT Madras Online Degree site

IIT Madras Online Degree Portal uses Cookies and other common Tracking Technologies on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site and in email communications to help IIT Madras better understand your use and needs of the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, current and future IIT Madras-related products and services, and how IIT Madras can improve.
For example:

● Based on your cookie settings, IIT Madras may track information indicating, among other things, which pages of the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site were visited, the order in which they were visited, when they were visited, and which hyperlinks and other user interface controls were used
● IIT Madras may log the IP address, operating system, and browser software (including mobile use and device type when you use IIT Madras native mobile apps) you used when accessing the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, and IIT Madras may be able to determine from an IP address your Internet Service Provider and the geographic location of your point of connectivity; and

● IIT Madras may track and collect information from emails that IIT Madras sends to you, for example, whether you opened the email or clicked on any links from the email.

● IIT Madras may also partner with third parties to help us track and understand your activity on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, how you interact with IIT Madras’s social media, and how you find or may be referred to the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site.

IIT Madras may use Cookies and other Tracking Technologies for the following purposes:

● when necessary for system administration, security, and integrity to ensure the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site works properly for you. Without these technologies, the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site may not function correctly

● to enable analytics, performance and functionality, to help IIT Madras gather information about how visitors use the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site and monitor IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site performance, and to enhance your experience by recognizing and remembering whether you have visited the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site before and may have any personal preferences; and

● to support marketing by enabling IIT Madras to deliver content relevant to your interests on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site and third-party sites based on how you interact with IIT Madras advertisements or content. IIT Madras may use “first-party” cookies, which means cookies served by IIT Madras and also “third-party” cookies, which means cookies served by third parties that help IIT Madras track this information.

You have some options for managing Cookies and other Tracking Technologies. These include:

● Modifying your browser settings: You should be able to control how and whether your web browser accepts Cookies by adjusting its privacy and security settings. The “help” feature of the menu bar on most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new Cookies, how to receive notification of new Cookies, and how to disable existing Cookies. If you reject IIT Madras’s Cookies, many functions and conveniences of the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site may not work properly.

● Opting-out of certain third-party tracking and advertising: Some of the third parties used by IIT Madras for Cookies and Tracking Technologies offer the ability to opt-out from their tracking by following processes described on their websites. IIT Madras is not responsible for the effectiveness of any third-party opt-out options.

3.

How your information is used

IIT Madras may use information, including Personal Information, to carry out the following purposes:

● Operate and improve the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site – This includes creating and improving features that support the IIT Madras community and enable IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site usage at scale. This also includes personalizing the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, so that your learning experience is tailored to your interests and needs.

● Create, administer, provide, and teach courses – This includes creating and improving the delivery of online courses and programs on IIT Madras. This also includes personalizing courses, so your learning experience is tailored to your interests and needs, and assessing your performance and awarding certificates/degrees.

● Offer and improve products and services – This includes enabling you to navigate the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, to register and participate in courses on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, to learn effectively in such courses, and to purchase or obtain products and services on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site such as registering for Proctored Exams.

● Develop and maintain the security and performance of the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site – This includes tracking IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site outages and creating software solutions, detecting violations of the Honor Code and Terms of Service, and monitoring uses, misuses, and potential misuses of the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site.

● Communicate with you – This includes answering your course and platform questions, notifying you of course and IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site maintenance and updates, marketing to you about course offerings, programs, news, and related products and services of IIT Madras or IIT Madras affiliates, and as permitted under applicable law, sending you communications about products or services of selected business partners that may be of interest to you.

● Support scientific research – This includes collaborating to enable and conduct research about how learners access and master course materials online, with the goal of improving course outcomes.

● Track IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site usage against goals and mission – This includes performing analytics to evaluate access to and performance in courses and course-related products and services and to report aggregate usage information (not Personal Information) to business partners and external audiences.

● Exercise, enforce, and comply with legal rights and obligations – This includes responding to court orders, or other legal process; and investigating, preventing, or taking action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, security or technical issues, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of IIT Madras, or others, and as otherwise required by applicable law.

IIT Madras may also seek your consent for additional uses of information, including Personal Information, and will use it only for the purpose described to you. All use of Personal Information is subject to applicable law.

4.

How your information is shared

IIT Madras may share information, including Personal Information, with third parties for the following purposes:

● With service providers, contractors, and other third parties that help carry out the uses described above – IIT Madras requires third parties to: (1) abide by this Privacy Policy and applicable law; (2) handle Personal Information in a confidential manner and maintain adequate security; and (3) use Personal Information only as needed to fulfill the relevant purpose(s). In some cases, the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site and individual courses are integrated with third-party services or contain links to websites published by third parties, including other content providers as well as service providers. These third parties are responsible for their own privacy practices, so you should pay attention anytime you are redirected to a third-party website and be sure to review its privacy policy.

● With other learners in courses that you take and with other visitors to the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, to create an interactive learning environment, support class participation, and share course information – this includes sharing comments, coursework, or other information or content that you submit to a portion of the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site designed for viewing by other class members or for public communication. This also includes providing opportunities for you to communicate with other users who may have similar interests or educational goals, for instance, recommending specific study partners or connecting potential student mentees and mentors. In such cases, IIT Madras may use all information collected about you to determine who might be interested in communicating with you, but will only provide others your username (for clarity, no disclosure of your real name or email address).

● With employers, government programs, institutions, or other enterprises that sponsor your registration in a course for training or other educational purposes – If an entity pays for or otherwise sponsors your Verified Certificate or course participation, IIT Madras will share information with the entity as needed to confirm your registration, participation, progress, and completion status in that course.

● With affiliates of IIT Madras, or with successors in the event of a reorganization, for their use consistent with this Privacy Policy.

● IIT Madras may also seek your consent for additional disclosures of information, including Personal Information, and will share it only as described to you. In addition, IIT Madras may share with the public and with third parties, including but not limited to researchers and business partners, information and Personal Information that is de-identified or aggregated in a manner that does not personally identify you.

5.

How to manage your personal information

You can manage your Personal Information through learner features on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site and requests to the IIT Madras learner support team. IIT Madras will provide support to the extent required by applicable law and more broadly when possible, as a courtesy in our sole discretion. IIT Madras will notify you in the event that IIT Madras is unable to meet a request that is not legally required.

Access and correct your Personal Information

Much of your Personal Information is available in your IIT Madras Online Degree profile. Your name and other identifiable profile information is editable through the profile settings in your account except as noted below. Your account dashboard lists all current and archived courses in which you have registered and may include links to any Certificates/Degrees you may have earned. Please contact IIT Madras Online Degree learner support to access and update this or other information.

Exceptions

Registered Email Addresses cannot ever be changed. This is an IIT Madras system restriction. Because email address identify you in courses and elsewhere on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site.
IIT Madras does not track or index every time or every place on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site when or where a learner may volunteer Personal Information, so IIT Madras will not be able to help you locate or manage all such instances. IIT Madras encourages you to use discretion before volunteering Personal Information on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site.

Restrict or object to the processing of Personal Information

If you want to manage emails and other communications to you, you may update your preferences in the respective IIT Madras Online Degree course profile, follow the steps that may be described in links at the bottom of email messages, or contact IIT Madras Online Degree learner support. You may object to, or request that IIT Madras stop, its use of your Personal Information for other purposes by contacting the IIT Madras Online Degree learner support team. Please note that if you choose to restrict IIT Madras’s ability to process Personal Information, and the processing is otherwise required to provide you with various services and products offered on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site, you may not be able to establish an IIT Madras Online Degree user account or register for a course, and IIT Madras may not be able to provide you with those services or products.

Delete account and Personal Information

To request deletion of your IIT Madras Online Degree account and Personal Information, you should write to the learner support team. Because deletion on the IIT Madras system is a permanent action and cannot be reversed, IIT Madras may ask you to complete a process that aims to confirm your authority to manage the IIT Madras Online Degree account affected by your request.
You can however unsubscribe from all the existing mailing lists by clicking on the “Unsubscribe” option provided in the Progress section of each course.

Exceptions

● Unsubscription will not apply to historical activity logs or archives unless and until these logs and data naturally “age-off” the IIT Madras Online Degree system.

● IIT Madras does not track or index every time or every place on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site when or where a learner may volunteer Personal Information, so IIT Madras will not be able to help you locate or manage all such instances. IIT Madras encourages you to use discretion before voluntarily sharing your Personal Information on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site.

● IIT Madras will archive course data (in a manner and to the extent permitted under applicable law) to serve its mission to enable scientific research on cognitive science and education.

● IIT Madras cannot always delete records of past interactions and transactions. For example, records relating to previous exam registrations on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site must be retained for financial reporting, audit, and compliance reasons.
● IIT Madras will retain and use Personal Information as necessary to comply with its legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce its agreements, and as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

Data Retention

IIT Madras will retain your Personal Information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with services; to maintain a record of your transactions for financial reporting, audit, and compliance purposes; and to comply with IIT Madras’s legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce its agreements, and as otherwise permitted by applicable law. Upon your request that IIT Madras deactivate your account and delete your information, IIT Madras will follow the process described above, including without limitation, archiving your course data (in a manner and to the extent permitted under applicable law) to serve its mission to enable scientific research on cognitive science and education.

6.

Storage & Security

IIT Madras stores information, including Personal Information, on its own servers and also on servers of companies that IIT Madras hires to provide services. In each case, information may be stored in India and in countries where IIT Madras’s service providers operate and the privacy laws of India shall be applicable.

IIT Madras controls its own copy of information collected through the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site and may have an information security program designed to protect information in its possession or control. This may be done through a variety of privacy and security policies, processes, and procedures. IIT Madras may use administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that reasonably and appropriately protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information that it collects, receives, stores, or transmits. Nonetheless, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure; and therefore, IIT Madras cannot guarantee its absolute security. While IIT Madras will work hard to ensure the integrity and security of its network and systems, IIT Madras cannot guarantee that its security measures will prevent “hackers” or other unauthorized persons from illegally accessing or obtaining information.

If IIT Madras learns of a security breach involving its copy of your Personal Information, IIT Madras may attempt to notify you electronically so that you may take appropriate protective steps. By using the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site or providing Personal Information to IIT Madras, you agree that IIT Madras can communicate with you electronically regarding security, privacy, and administrative issues relating to your use of the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site. If a security systems breach occurs, IIT Madras may post a notice on the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site and may send an email to you at the email address associated with your IIT Madras Online Degree account.

7.

Privacy Policy Updates

This Privacy Policy will be reviewed and updated from time to time. When changes are made, the Privacy Policy will be labeled as “Revised (date),” indicating that you should review the new terms, which will be effective immediately upon posting on this page, with an updated effective date. By accessing the IIT Madras ONLINE DEGREE site after any changes have been made, you accept the modified Privacy Policy and any changes contained therein. In case you miss the notification referenced above, be sure to return to this page periodically to ensure familiarity with the most current version of this Privacy Policy.

8.

Contact Information

If you have privacy concerns, have disclosed data you would prefer to keep private, or would like to access the Personal Information that IIT Madras maintains about you, please contact us at support@onlinedegree.iitm.ac.in.