Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Aadarsh Shiksha Samiti ("we", "us", "our") is a non-profit organisation based in Salumber, Rajasthan, India. We work on education, sustainable resource management, livelihood opportunities and participatory local governance in the communities we serve.

This policy explains what personal information we collect through aadarshshiksha.org (the "Website"), why we collect it, how we protect it, and the choices you have. By using the Website, you agree to this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website.

2. Information we collect

Information you give us

• Newsletter: your email address when you subscribe.
• Contact and Get Involved enquiries: your name, email address, phone number and the message you send us.
• Donations: your name, contact details and donation amount. Payment details are handled by the payment provider (see section 7).

Information collected automatically

• Your IP address, browser type, device type and operating system.
• Pages you visit, the time you spend on them and the page that referred you to us.
• Visit counts shown by our visitor counter ("Users Today", "Views Today" and totals). These are shown as overall numbers and do not display your identity to other visitors.

We do not ask for sensitive personal information through the Website, and you should not send it to us in an enquiry.

3. How we use your information

• To reply to your enquiries and requests.
• To send newsletters and updates about our work, if you have subscribed.
• To process donations, issue receipts and meet legal and tax requirements.
• To understand how the Website is used and to improve it.
• To keep the Website secure and prevent misuse.
• To comply with applicable laws.

4. Photographs and stories of the people we work with

Our Photo Gallery and other pages show photographs from our field work, including children, women and families. We aim to publish a photograph of a person only with their consent or, for a child, with the consent of the parent or guardian. We do not publish photographs in a way that is meant to demean or identify a person's private circumstances.

If you appear in a photograph on the Website and want it removed, write to us using the details in section 13. We will review your request and remove the photograph promptly.

5. Cookies

Cookies are small files stored on your device. The Website may use cookies that are needed for it to work, and cookies or similar technologies used by our plugins and analytics tools to understand traffic. You can block or delete cookies from your browser settings. Some parts of the Website may not work properly if you do.

6. Sharing of information

We share personal information only in these cases:

• Service providers who help us run the Website, such as hosting, email, newsletter and payment services. They may use the information only to provide their service to us.
• Our website managers who maintain and support the Website on our behalf.
• Authorities, where the law requires it or to protect our rights, users or the public.

The Website also loads content such as fonts and embedded media from third parties, which may receive your IP address when your browser fetches them.

7. Donations and payments

If you donate through the Website, the payment is processed by a third-party payment provider under its own terms and privacy policy. We do not store your card number, UPI PIN, net banking password or other payment credentials. We keep a record of the donor's name, contact details and amount for receipts, accounting and legal compliance.

8. Security and retention

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information from loss, misuse and unauthorised access. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law (for example, accounting records). Newsletter details are kept until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete them.

9. Your rights and choices

In line with applicable Indian law, including the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, you may:

• Ask for a summary of the personal information we hold about you.
• Ask us to correct or update inaccurate information.
• Ask us to delete your information, unless we must keep it by law.
• Withdraw your consent at any time, including unsubscribing from the newsletter.
• Raise a grievance with us (see section 13).

To use any of these rights, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

10. Children's privacy

The Website is not directed at children under 18 years of age, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information through it. If you believe a child has given us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

11. Third-party links

The Website links to other sites, including our social media pages on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those sites. Please read their policies before sharing information with them.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last changed. Continued use of the Website after an update means you accept the revised policy.

13. Contact and grievances

For any question about this policy, to use your rights, or to make a complaint, contact: