At CARDINAL PADIAYARA EDUCATIONAL TRUST MANIMAALA ("School", "we", "our", "us"), we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information of our students, parents/guardians, staff, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and the choices you have.

1) Information We Collect

• Identity & Contact Data: Student/parent/guardian name, email address, phone number, postal address.
• Academic & Administrative Data: Admission information, class/section, roll number, attendance, activity records as needed for school operations.
• Payment Data: Fee amount, transaction reference, and status. Card/bank credentials are processed by our payment gateway and are not stored on our servers.
• Usage & Technical Data: IP address, device and browser information, pages viewed, and interactions on our website.
• Communication Data: Messages you send via forms, emails, or helplines.

2) How We Use Information

• To manage admissions, fees, examinations, and academic records.
• To process payments and issue receipts/invoices.
• To communicate important updates, circulars, and event information.
• To provide support and respond to enquiries.
• To secure our services, prevent fraud, and comply with legal obligations.
• To improve our website functionality and user experience.

4) Sharing of Information

We do not sell or rent personal information. We may share limited data with:

• Service Providers: Payment processors, SMS/email providers, IT support—only to the extent necessary to provide our services and under appropriate safeguards.
• Authorities: Government bodies or regulators when required by applicable law or to protect vital interests.

5) Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy, or as required by law (for example, tax and accounting rules). After the retention period ends, we securely delete or anonymise data.

6) Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate, remember preferences, and analyse traffic. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may impact certain features.

7) Your Rights & Choices

• Request access to the personal data we hold about you.
• Request correction or updating of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of data, subject to legal/administrative requirements.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

8) Children's Privacy

We collect student data from parents/guardians or as part of school administration. If you believe a child has provided personal data on our website without parental consent, please contact us and we will take appropriate action.

9) India‑Specific Disclosures

We follow applicable Indian laws and guidelines for handling personal data. Where relevant, we align our practices with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and associated rules, as updated from time to time.

10) Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The latest version will always be available on this page with the updated effective date.

11) Contact