Privacy Policy
Last updated: 07 July 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, collects, uses, stores and protects the personal data you provide when you register for or interact with the Technothon 2026. It is issued in accordance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act).
1. Data we collect
- Team and participant details: team name, institution, category, and for each member — name and email address.
- Team leader contact details: name, email address and phone number.
- Submission content: proposal title, the innovation / novelty write-up, and the proposal document (PDF) you attach.
- Consent records and the timestamp of your submission.
- For organiser accounts: email address and authentication credentials (passwords are stored only as salted hashes by our authentication provider).
2. Purpose and lawful basis
Your personal data is collected and processed solely to administer your participation in the Technothon 2026 — including evaluating submissions, communicating with teams, and announcing results. Processing is based on the consent you provide at the point of registration (DPDP Act, s.6). You may withdraw consent at any time; withdrawal will result in your registration being removed and your team becoming ineligible.
3. Storage, retention and location
Data is stored on managed database infrastructure and is retained only for the duration of the challenge and its evaluation. Registration data will be deleted at the close of Stage 2 evaluation unless a longer period is required by law. Access is restricted to authorised members of the organising committee.
4. Sharing and disclosure
We do not sell or rent your personal data. It is not shared with third parties except (a) service providers who process data on our behalf under contract, (b) where required by law or a competent authority, or (c) with your explicit consent.
5. Your rights (Data Principal rights)
Under the DPDP Act you have the right to access, correct, update, and erase your personal data, to withdraw consent, and to grievance redressal. To exercise any of these rights, write to the organising committee at technothon@niot.res.in.
6. Security
We apply reasonable technical and organisational safeguards — including row-level database access controls, encrypted transport (HTTPS), and role-based administrator access — to protect your data against unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure.
7. Grievance officer
For any concern regarding the processing of your personal data, contact the Grievance Officer, Technothon Organising Committee, NIOT, Pallikaranai, Chennai — 600100, or email technothon@niot.res.in. [Placeholder — the named Grievance Officer and contact are to be confirmed by NIOT.]
8. Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated to reflect changes in law or practice. The current version and its last-updated date are always published on this page.