Overview
Ashiraj (“we”, “our”, or “us”) operates the Ashiraj website and mobile application (collectively, the “Platform”). This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, store, and share information about you when you use our Platform, and the choices you have regarding that information.
By accessing or using the Platform, you agree to the collection and use of your information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our Platform.
Summary: We collect only the information needed to provide you with personalised university recommendations and study abroad guidance. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
Information We Collect
Information You Provide Directly
When you register for an account or use our services, we collect:
- Account information — name, email address, phone number, and password.
- Academic profile — undergraduate grades (GPA/CGPA/percentage), degree type, field of study, and target intake year.
- Test scores — GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, SAT, and ACT scores you choose to enter.
- Work experience — months of relevant professional experience you provide.
- Application materials — statements of purpose, résumés, and other documents you upload through our SOP Builder or document tools.
- Communications — messages you send to our counsellors or support team.
- Payment information — billing details for premium services, processed securely by our payment partners.
Information Collected Automatically
When you use the Platform, we automatically collect certain technical data:
- Device information — browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and screen resolution.
- Usage data — pages visited, features used, clicks, session duration, and referral URLs.
- Location data — country and city derived from your IP address (we do not collect precise GPS location).
- Log data — IP address, access timestamps, and error logs.
Information from Third Parties
If you sign in using Google or other social login providers, we receive basic profile information (name, email, profile photo) as permitted by your settings on that platform.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- University shortlisting — to match your profile against admission data and generate personalised university recommendations.
- Platform personalisation — to tailor content, blog recommendations, and event suggestions to your interests and profile.
- Account management — to create and maintain your account, authenticate your sessions, and provide customer support.
- Communications — to send transactional emails (password resets, application reminders), service updates, and, with your consent, marketing emails about relevant events and offers.
- Analytics and improvement — to understand how the Platform is used, diagnose technical issues, and improve features.
- Legal compliance — to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.
- Safety and security — to detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities.
Sharing Your Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We share your information only in these limited circumstances:
- Service providers — third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (cloud hosting, payment processing, email delivery, analytics). They are contractually bound to use your data only for the purposes we specify.
- University partners — only with your explicit consent, we may share your profile with universities or education consultants you choose to connect with through the Platform.
- Business transfers — in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred. We will notify you before your data becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
- Legal requirements — if required by law, court order, or government authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Ashiraj, our users, or others.
Cookies & Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate and improve the Platform. The types of cookies we use include:
- Essential cookies — required for the Platform to function (e.g., session authentication, CSRF protection).
- Analytics cookies — help us understand usage patterns (e.g., Google Analytics).
- Preference cookies — remember your settings such as language and saved filters.
- Marketing cookies — used to show you relevant advertisements on third-party sites, only with your consent.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may impair Platform functionality. You can opt out of analytics tracking at any time from your account settings.
Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active, or as needed to provide you with our services. After account deletion:
- Profile and academic data is deleted within 30 days.
- Anonymised, aggregated analytics data may be retained indefinitely as it cannot identify you.
- Records required for legal or tax purposes may be retained for up to 7 years as required by applicable law.
- Backups may retain copies for up to 90 days before permanent deletion.
Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correction — request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Deletion — request deletion of your account and associated personal data.
- Portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Objection — object to processing of your data for direct marketing purposes.
- Withdrawal of consent — withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at privacy@ashiraj.com or visit your account settings. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.
Children's Privacy
The Platform is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we discover that a child under 16 has provided us with personal data, we will delete it immediately. If you believe a minor has created an account, please contact us at privacy@ashiraj.com.
Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include:
- Encryption of data in transit using TLS 1.2+
- Encryption of sensitive data at rest using AES-256
- Regular security audits and penetration testing
- Access controls limiting employee access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
- Multi-factor authentication for internal systems
No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. Please use a strong, unique password for your Ashiraj account.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we will notify you by email or by displaying a prominent notice on the Platform at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of the revised policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was most recently revised.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal data, please contact our Data Protection team:
- Email: privacy@ashiraj.com
- Mailing address: Ashiraj Education Pvt. Ltd., 5th Floor, WeWork, Chromium, Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Rd, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400072
- Grievance officer: Available via our Contact page
We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 72 hours.