Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

PlaceMate (“we”, “our”, or “us”) operates the website www.theplacemate.in. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit our website or enroll in our training programs. By using our platform, you agree to the terms described in this policy.

Our practices comply with the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008, and the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011, as applicable in India.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Identity Data: Full name, email address, phone number, city, and educational background provided during registration or enquiry forms.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, browser type, device type, IP address, and referral source collected automatically through cookies and analytics tools.
• Communications Data: Messages sent through our contact form, WhatsApp, or email support channels.
• Payment Data: We do not store payment card details. Payments are processed via third-party gateways (Razorpay, Stripe) that maintain their own security certifications.
• Consent Records: When you opt-in to marketing communications, we record your consent timestamp and method.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

• Respond to enquiries and process enrolments into our programs
• Deliver course materials, schedule sessions, and communicate program updates
• Send placement support resources, job referrals, and career guidance with your consent
• Improve website functionality and content through aggregated analytics
• Comply with legal obligations and prevent fraudulent activity
• Send transactional emails (enrolment confirmations, receipts, session reminders)

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Cookies and Tracking

We use the following types of cookies:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: Required for the website to function. Cannot be disabled.
• Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics 4 — helps us understand visitor behavior in aggregate. Data is anonymized.
• Marketing Cookies: Used only when you have given explicit consent for promotional communication.

You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling analytics cookies will not affect website functionality.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to provide services and meet legal requirements:

• Enrolment and student records: 7 years from course completion (for certificate validation)
• Enquiry and marketing data: 2 years from last interaction, or until you withdraw consent
• Analytics data: 26 months (Google Analytics default)

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request erasure of your data subject to legal retention requirements
• Objection: Object to processing for marketing purposes at any time
• Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@theplacemate.in. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may process your data under their own privacy policies:

• Google Analytics 4 (analytics)
• Razorpay / Stripe (payment processing)
• Vercel (website hosting)
• WhatsApp Business API (communication)

8. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including HTTPS encryption, access controls, and secure data storage. While no online transmission is 100% secure, we are committed to protecting your information using reasonable commercial standards.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes by posting a notice on our website or sending an email to registered users. Continued use of our services after such notice constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

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