Legal

Privacy Policy

Your privacy is important to us. This policy explains how TechShala collects, uses, and protects your personal information.

Last Updated: December 15, 2025

Introduction

TechShala ("we," "our," or "us") is a student-led technical committee at Vidyalankar Polytechnic, Mumbai. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services.

By accessing or using our services, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the website or use our services.

Information We Collect

Personal Information

When you create an account or register for events, we collect:

  • Full Name: To identify you and personalize your experience
  • Email Address: For account authentication, communication, and event notifications
  • Mobile Number: For event-related communication and emergency contact
  • Educational Information: Roll number (for Vidyalankar students) or college/organization name (for others)
  • Password: Securely hashed for account security (we never store plain-text passwords)

Event & Activity Data

  • Event registration history and attendance records
  • Team memberships for hackathons and group events
  • Feedback and survey responses

Automatically Collected Information

  • Browser type and version
  • Device information and operating system
  • IP address (anonymized for analytics)
  • Pages visited and time spent on the website

How We Use Your Information

Account Management

Create and manage your user account securely

Event Registration

Process your registrations for workshops, hackathons, and events

Communication

Send event updates, confirmations, and important announcements

Personalization

Customize your experience based on your preferences and history

Analytics

Improve our services by understanding how users interact with our platform

Security

Protect against unauthorized access and ensure platform security

Legal Compliance

Comply with applicable laws and regulations

Support

Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support

Data Storage & Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect it.

Security Measures

  • Secure Infrastructure: Your data is stored on Supabase, a secure cloud platform with enterprise-grade security
  • Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest
  • Password Security: Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms (bcrypt) and never stored in plain text
  • Access Control: Role-based access ensures only authorized personnel can access user data

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Information Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

With Your Consent

When you explicitly agree to share your information for specific purposes

Event Partners

With event co-organizers or sponsors when necessary for event participation (with prior notice)

Service Providers

With trusted third-party services that help us operate our platform (e.g., email services)

Legal Requirements

When required by law, court order, or government authority

Safety & Protection

To protect the rights, property, or safety of TechShala, our users, or the public

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to Access

Request a copy of your personal data

Right to Rectification

Update or correct inaccurate information

Right to Erasure

Request deletion of your personal data

Right to Restrict

Limit how we process your data

Right to Portability

Receive your data in a portable format

Right to Object

Object to certain processing activities

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at techshala@vpt.edu.in

Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience and analyze website traffic.

Types of Cookies We Use

  • Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly (authentication, security)
  • Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
  • Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

  • Active Accounts: Data is retained while your account remains active
  • Event Records: Registration data may be retained for up to 3 years for record-keeping
  • Deleted Accounts: Data is deleted within 30 days of account deletion request

Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by:

  • Posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Last Updated" date
  • Sending an email notification for significant changes

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

TechShala - Technical Committee

Vidyalankar Polytechnic
Wadala, Mumbai - 400037
Maharashtra, India

Email: techshala@vpt.edu.in