Policy

Privacy Policy

QuantumBench Academy is committed to processing the minimum data necessary to operate the platform — and to being precise about what that means. This policy applies to all data collected via quantumbench.academy and any related subdomains.

Data we collect

We collect only what is needed to operate the platform:

• Account data: name, email address, country, educational institution (required at sign-up)
• Learning data: lesson completions, simulation runs, assessment scores, AI session transcripts, capstone submissions
• Payment metadata: transaction ID, currency, amount — card and UPI credentials are handled exclusively by our payment processor and never reach our servers
• Technical data: authentication cookies, session tokens, optional anonymised analytics (IP address is not logged)

Purpose and legal basis

We process your data under your explicit consent given at sign-up, and under legitimate interest where required to fulfil your course access.

Your data is used for:

• Account management and authentication
• Delivering course content and tracking your progress
• Issuing certificates and verifiable credentials
• Transactional communications (receipts, progress updates, support responses)
• AI-powered feedback on assessments and viva sessions

Your data is never used for advertising, third-party profiling, data brokerage, or automated decisions with legal or similarly significant consequences.

Third-party processors

We share data only with the processors necessary to deliver the platform, under written data processing agreements:

• Supabase Inc. — database, authentication, file storage (hosted on AWS)
• Razorpay / Stripe — payment processing (we receive only transaction metadata)
• Microsoft (Outlook 365) — transactional email delivery
• Google LLC — anonymised analytics via gtag.js, consent-gated and IP-anonymised
• Anthropic PBC — AI evaluation features (no message content is retained for model training per current agreements)

We do not sell data to third parties. Disclosure to others occurs only where required by law, to protect legal rights, or with your explicit prior consent.

Cross-border data transfers

Some processors operate outside your country of residence. Where such transfers occur, we rely on contractual protections that meet applicable legal standards. Where technically feasible, data associated with your onboarding documents is stored in a region closest to your location.

Retention periods

Your rights

Under applicable data protection laws, you have the right to:

• Access all personal data we hold about you, in machine-readable form
• Correct inaccurate information directly via your profile
• Request deletion of your account and all associated personal data
• Withdraw consent for optional processing at any time
• Escalate unresolved concerns to the relevant data protection authority
• Nominate a representative for data access decisions in the event of incapacity

All requests are handled within 30 days at no cost. Contact us at privacy@quantumbench.academy.

Limits on the right to erasure

Certain data cannot be deleted even upon request, due to legal obligations:

• Payment, GST, and tax records are retained for 8 years under financial law
• Certificate metadata (without personal identifiers) is retained to preserve credential verifiability
• Open or recently closed grievance records remain during the resolution window

All other personal data is permanently deleted within 30 days of a valid request.

Security measures

• All data in transit encrypted via HTTPS / TLS 1.2+
• Database access governed by row-level security policies
• Private files stored in encrypted storage buckets inaccessible via public URL
• Credentials managed server-side only; never exposed to client code
• Access privileges reviewed periodically and limited to minimum necessary

Breach notification

In the event of a data breach likely to cause harm, we will: notify the relevant data protection authority within the timeframe prescribed by applicable law; and notify affected users by email describing the incident, the data affected, remediation steps taken, and recommended actions.

Children and minors

QuantumBench Academy is a platform for users aged 18 and over. If we identify an account belonging to a minor, it is permanently deleted within 7 days of discovery. If you believe a minor has registered, contact us at privacy@quantumbench.academy.

Cookie policy

• Strictly necessary: first-party authentication cookies — cannot be disabled as they are required for platform operation
• Analytics (optional): Google Analytics (consent-gated, IP anonymised, no cross-site tracking)

We do not use advertising cookies, social-media tracking pixels, or any cross-site tracking technology.

AI features and session data

AI evaluation sessions (PredictBoard, VivaTutor, assessment feedback) transmit your responses to an AI inference provider. Per our current agreements, this provider does not retain message content for model training. All AI session transcripts are deleted from our systems after 12 months.

Changes to this policy

Material changes — including new processors, altered retention periods, or changes to legal basis — will be communicated by email at least 14 days before taking effect. Continued use of the platform after the stated effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Refund Policy

Course purchases are designed to be final once you have begun learning. We offer a narrow, clearly defined refund window to protect learners who need an exit before committing — and to protect the integrity of the curriculum for everyone else.

The 48-hour refund window

Refund requests must be submitted within 48 hours of purchase. Once that window closes, we will have begun allocating access credentials, AI session capacity, and infrastructure resources to your account — costs that are non-recoverable.

The clock starts at the timestamp of your payment confirmation email, not at first login.

What is deducted from an approved refund

Approved refunds are subject to a 15% deduction covering applicable transaction taxes and payment-processor fees incurred at the time of purchase. The remaining amount is returned to your original payment method within 5–7 business days.

Non-refundable situations

A refund will not be issued if:

• The 48-hour window has passed
• Any lesson has been marked complete, any simulation has been run, or any AI session has been consumed
• The purchase was made during a promotional discount of 50% or greater
• The refund request is missing the required information (see below)
• A chargeback has already been filed for the transaction

How to request a refund

Email support@quantumbench.academy within 48 hours of purchase from your registered email address. Include the following in your message:

• Your registered email address
• The payment transaction ID (found in your confirmation email)
• The reason for the request (optional but helpful)

We respond within 3 business days. Approved refunds are processed immediately upon confirmation.

Technical issues caused by platform error

If a verified platform fault — one caused by our infrastructure, not your device or connection — prevents you from accessing purchased content and remains unresolved within a reasonable timeframe, a full refund will be issued regardless of the 48-hour window. Contact support@quantumbench.academy with a description of the issue and any error messages.

Disputes and chargebacks

We ask that you contact us directly before filing a payment dispute or chargeback with your bank or card provider. Most issues can be resolved quickly through email. Chargebacks filed without prior contact may result in account suspension pending investigation, and may be contested where the transaction was legitimate and the refund window had passed.

We reserve the right to update this policy. Continued use of the platform after any posted changes constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.