Privacy Policy

A. Information Provided Directly by Users

NEXTSTEP may collect personal information including but not limited to:

• Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Gender (if voluntarily provided)
• Email Address
• Mobile Number
• Postal Address
• Educational Qualifications
• Academic Records and Transcripts
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Employment Information
• Internship Preferences
• Career Interests
• Professional Certifications
• Identity Verification Documents where required
• Payment and Billing Information
• Information submitted through registration forms, contact forms, surveys, applications, assessments, or communications

B. Automatically Collected Information

When users access the website, NEXTSTEP may automatically collect:

• IP Address
• Browser Type and Version
• Internet Service Provider Information
• Device Information
• Operating System
• Referring Website
• Date and Time of Access
• Pages Viewed
• Website Usage Statistics
• Clickstream Data
• Cookies and Similar Tracking Technologies

C. Information from Third Parties

NEXTSTEP may receive information from:

• Educational Institutions
• Training Partners
• Employers
• Internship Providers
• Recruitment Agencies
• Professional Referral Sources
• Business Partners

Such information will only be processed where legally permitted.

NEXTSTEP may collect and process personal information for legitimate educational, business, operational, legal, and administrative purposes including:

• Providing educational services
• Delivering tutoring and mentoring programs
• Facilitating internships and industry engagement activities
• Conducting assessments and evaluations
• Managing registrations and applications
• Responding to inquiries and support requests
• Issuing certificates, participation records, and reports
• Communicating updates, notices, and events
• Improving website functionality and user experience
• Conducting analytics and research
• Monitoring compliance with policies and legal obligations
• Preventing fraud, abuse, unauthorized activities, and security risks
• Enforcing contractual rights
• Complying with legal or regulatory requirements

Where applicable, NEXTSTEP processes information based upon:

• User consent;
• Performance of contractual obligations;
• Compliance with legal obligations;
• Legitimate business interests;
• Protection of legal rights and interests.

NEXTSTEP does not sell, rent, trade, or commercially exploit personal information.

Educational Institutions

For admission support, academic activities, evaluations, or educational opportunities.

Internship and Employment Partners

For internship programs, employability initiatives, placement-related activities, and workforce development programs.

Service Providers

Technology providers, payment processors, email services, cloud hosting providers, analytics services, and operational support vendors.

Legal and Regulatory Authorities

Information may be disclosed where it is:

• Required by law;
• Required by court order;
• Necessary to protect legal rights;
• Required for investigations, compliance, fraud prevention, or law enforcement activities.

NEXTSTEP shall retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Fulfill the purposes stated in this Policy;
• Deliver requested services;
• Satisfy legal obligations;
• Resolve disputes;
• Enforce agreements;
• Maintain business records.

NEXTSTEP reserves the right to retain anonymized, aggregated, or statistical information indefinitely.

NEXTSTEP implements reasonable technical, organizational, and administrative safeguards designed to protect personal information from:

• Unauthorized access;
• Unauthorized disclosure;
• Misuse;
• Alteration;
• Destruction;
• Loss;
• Theft.

Security measures may include:

• Secure hosting environments
• Access control procedures
• Authentication mechanisms
• Password protections
• Encryption where appropriate
• Firewall protections
• Security monitoring
• Routine system maintenance

Despite these safeguards, no transmission method or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Users acknowledge and accept the inherent risks associated with internet-based communications and technologies.

Subject to applicable laws, users may request:

• Access to personal information;
• Correction of inaccurate information;
• Updating incomplete information;
• Withdrawal of consent where applicable;
• Deletion of information where legally permissible;
• Clarification regarding data processing activities.

Requests may be submitted to:

Email: info@nextstep.ac

NEXTSTEP reserves the right to verify the identity of requestors before responding.

NEXTSTEP uses cookies and similar technologies for:

• Website functionality;
• Website security;
• Performance analysis;
• User experience enhancement;
• Preference management;
• Traffic analytics.

Users may modify browser settings to reject or delete cookies; however, doing so may affect website functionality.

The website may contain links to third-party websites, educational institutions, employers, internship providers, or service platforms.

NEXTSTEP is not responsible for:

• Privacy practices;
• Security measures;
• Content;
• Data handling activities

of any third-party website or service.

Users access third-party services at their own risk.

NEXTSTEP does not knowingly collect personal information from individuals where prohibited by applicable law.

Where services involve minors, consent from a parent, guardian, school, institution, or authorized representative may be required.

Where services involve cloud infrastructure, third-party software providers, analytics platforms, or business partners located outside India, personal information may be processed in other jurisdictions.

By using NEXTSTEP's services, users consent to such transfers where legally permissible.

NEXTSTEP endeavors to process personal information in accordance with applicable laws of India, including but not limited to:

• Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act)
• Information Technology Act, 2000
• Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011
• Applicable regulations, notifications, guidelines, and legal requirements issued by competent authorities

Nothing in this Policy shall be interpreted as limiting any rights or obligations imposed under applicable law.

NEXTSTEP is an educational, training, workforce readiness, internship facilitation, mentoring, and career development platform.

NEXTSTEP does not guarantee:

• Academic success;
• Examination results;
• Admissions;
• Scholarships;
• Certifications;
• Internships;
• Employment opportunities;
• Salary levels;
• Career advancement;
• Professional outcomes.

Information submitted to NEXTSTEP may be used solely for evaluating eligibility, participation, educational support, internship facilitation, workforce development activities, and service delivery.

NEXTSTEP reserves the right to modify, update, amend, or replace this Privacy Policy at any time.

Updated versions shall become effective immediately upon publication on the website unless otherwise stated.

Continued use of the website or services after publication constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

This Privacy Policy shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of India.

Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Privacy Policy, the website, or services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts located in Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, India.

NEXTSTEP

Website: https://nextstep.ac

Email: info@nextstep.ac

If you have questions, concerns, complaints, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of personal information, please contact us at:

info@nextstep.ac