Privacy Policy.

01What personal information does IRIS collect?

IRIS may collect information provided during registration or through subsequent communication, including but not limited to:

• Student’s name, grade, school name, age, gender, and project details.
• Parent/guardian’s name, contact details (address, email, phone number).
• Teacher/mentor details (if applicable).
• Information related to participation, submissions, or communications with IRIS.
• Technical information automatically collected when visiting the Site (e.g., IP address, browser type, domain, browsing activity).

This information is collected solely for educational, administrative, and operational purposes of the Fair.

02How does IRIS use your information?

The information collected may be used by IRIS for:

• Processing registrations and project submissions.
• Communicating with participants, parents/guardians, and schools regarding updates, schedules, and results.
• Coordinating with mentors, evaluators, and jury members for fair administration.
• Ensuring compliance with eligibility and fee waiver policies.
• Responding to queries, complaints, and providing participant support.
• Conducting anonymized research, reporting, or impact analysis of the Fair.
• Promoting STEM education by showcasing selected projects (with prior consent from parent/guardian).
• Compliance with legal, regulatory, or governmental requirements.

IRIS will not sell, trade, or commercially exploit any personal information collected.

03Child privacy and parental consent.

As IRIS is exclusively open to students from Grades 5–12, we take additional measures to protect children’s privacy.

• Parental or guardian consent is mandatory at the time of registration.
• Communication relating to the Fair may be sent to both the student and the registered parent/guardian.
• Children under the age of 13 must have all online activities (registration, submissions, communication) supervised by a parent/guardian.

04Sharing of information.

IRIS may share limited personal information only with:

• Authorized partners, evaluators, mentors, and jury members for purposes of project evaluation and mentoring.
• Sponsors strictly to the extent required for scholarship or fee waiver verification.
• Regulatory authorities if required by law.

IRIS will not transfer information outside India or to unauthorized third parties.

05Protecting your information.

IRIS implements reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to ensure protection of personal information from unauthorized access, modification, disclosure, or loss.

In the event of any data breach, affected parties will be notified promptly in accordance with applicable law.

06Communication preferences.

• By registering, you authorize IRIS to contact you via email, SMS, or phone regarding the Fair.
• Parents/guardians may request deletion, correction, or restriction of use of personal data by writing to IRIS at privacy@irisnationalfair.org.
• Participants/guardians may also request to opt-out of non-essential communications.

07Cookies and analytics.

IRIS may use cookies or basic analytics tools to understand visitor interactions with the Site and to improve user experience. No profiling or targeted advertising is undertaken.

08Third-party websites.

The Site may contain links to external websites for informational purposes. IRIS is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. Users are encouraged to review third-party policies before engagement.

09Data retention.

Personal information will be retained only for as long as necessary to administer the Fair, comply with legal obligations, and document its impact. After such period, data will be archived in anonymized form or securely deleted.

10Changes to this policy.

IRIS may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this page will reflect such changes. Significant changes will be notified to parents/guardians via email or on the Site, and continued participation will be deemed as consent to the revised policy.

11Contact us.

For any concerns, requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or handling of your data, please contact us.