Privacy Policy

🔐 Introduction

Welcome to TexamBuddy ("we," "our," or "us"). TexamBuddy is a Flutter-based mobile application designed to help Telangana government exam aspirants prepare for competitive examinations including TSPSC, TSLPRB, TET, and other Telangana state government exams.

This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information when you use the TexamBuddy mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Service").

This policy applies to all users of TexamBuddy on Android (Google Play Store) and iOS (Apple App Store) platforms.

📊 Information We Collect

We collect information to provide, improve, and personalize the TexamBuddy experience. The information we collect falls into the following categories:

• Information you provide directly — when you register, subscribe, or contact us.
• Information collected automatically — when you use the app, including usage patterns and device details.
• Information from third parties — from analytics and advertising platforms we integrate with.

👤 Account Information

When you create a TexamBuddy account, we collect:

• Full Name — to personalize your experience.
• Email Address — for account authentication, password resets, and important notifications.
• Phone Number — for OTP-based login and account security (optional).
• Profile Picture — if you choose to upload one.
• Exam Preferences — which exams you are preparing for (e.g., TSPSC, TSLPRB, TET).
• Study Progress — mock test scores, completed papers, and bookmarked materials.

You can update or delete your account information at any time through the app settings. Social login data (Google Sign-In, Apple Sign-In) is handled per those providers' privacy policies.

📱 Device Information

We automatically collect certain device-related information to ensure app stability and compatibility:

• Device Model & Manufacturer — to optimize the app for your device.
• Operating System Version — Android or iOS version.
• Unique Device Identifier (Device ID) — an anonymized identifier for analytics.
• App Version — the version of TexamBuddy installed.
• Network Type — Wi-Fi or mobile data, to optimize content delivery.
• Storage Permissions — only when you download offline study materials (with explicit permission).
• Notification Permissions — to send you exam alerts and job notifications.

📈 Analytics & Crash Reports

We use third-party analytics and crash reporting tools to understand how users interact with TexamBuddy and to fix bugs quickly:

Firebase Analytics (Google LLC)

We use Firebase Analytics to collect anonymized usage data such as screen views, feature interactions, session duration, and user retention metrics. This data helps us understand which features are most useful and improve the app experience. Firebase Analytics does not identify you personally.

Firebase Crashlytics (Google LLC)

We use Firebase Crashlytics to automatically collect crash reports when the app encounters an error. This includes stack traces, device state, and app version information at the time of the crash. This data is used exclusively to identify and fix technical issues.

You can opt out of analytics data collection through the app settings under Privacy Controls. Opting out does not affect the core functionality of the app.

For more information on Firebase's data practices, visit: firebase.google.com/support/privacy

🔔 Push Notifications

TexamBuddy sends push notifications to keep you informed about important updates. These notifications may include:

• New Telangana government job alerts and recruitment notifications.
• Exam date announcements and admit card releases for TSPSC, TSLPRB, TET, etc.
• New mock tests and study materials added to the app.
• Subscription renewal reminders.
• App updates and important policy changes.

Push notifications are powered by Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). We collect and store your device's FCM registration token to send notifications to your specific device.

💳 Subscription & Payments

TexamBuddy offers premium subscription plans to access full mock tests, previous year papers, and exclusive study materials. All payment processing is handled securely by the respective app stores:

• Android: Google Play Billing — managed by Google LLC. We do not store your credit card or payment details. Google processes and secures all transactions.
• iOS: Apple In-App Purchases — managed by Apple Inc. All payment data is handled exclusively by Apple through StoreKit.

When you make a purchase, we receive:

• Transaction ID and purchase status from Google Play / Apple.
• Subscription tier and expiry date to activate your premium access.

We do not collect, store, or process your bank account numbers, credit card numbers, CVV codes, or any raw payment information. All billing disputes must be raised with Google Play or Apple App Store directly.

Refund policies are governed by Google Play Refund Policy and Apple Refund Policy.

🎯 Data Usage

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To provide access to study materials, mock tests, job alerts, and previous year papers.
• Personalization: To tailor content based on your exam preferences and study progress.
• Account Management: To create, manage, and secure your account.
• Notifications: To send timely exam alerts, job notifications, and app updates.
• Analytics: To understand usage patterns and improve app performance and features.
• Customer Support: To respond to your queries, feedback, and technical issues.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal obligations.
• Fraud Prevention: To detect and prevent fraudulent activities and unauthorized access.

🛡️ Data Security

Protecting your personal data is our priority. We implement industry-standard security measures including:

• HTTPS/TLS Encryption: All data transmitted between the app and our servers is encrypted using TLS.
• Firebase Security Rules: Database access is controlled by strict security rules that prevent unauthorized access.
• Secure Authentication: We support OTP-based login and Google/Apple Sign-In with industry-standard OAuth 2.0.
• Data Minimization: We only collect data that is necessary for the app's functionality.
• Access Controls: Only authorized personnel with a legitimate need can access personal data.
• Regular Security Reviews: We periodically review our data practices and security measures.

However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

🔗 Third-Party Services

TexamBuddy integrates with the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy governing their use of data:

• Google Firebase (Authentication, Firestore Database, Cloud Storage, Analytics, Crashlytics, Cloud Messaging)
  firebase.google.com/support/privacy
• Google Play Billing (Payment processing on Android)
  policies.google.com/privacy
• Apple In-App Purchase / StoreKit (Payment processing on iOS)
  apple.com/legal/privacy
• Google Sign-In (Optional social login)
  policies.google.com/privacy

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party services. We encourage you to review their respective privacy policies.

📢 Ad Services

TexamBuddy may display advertisements to users on the free tier of the app. Ads are served through:

• Google AdMob — which may use your anonymized device identifier and usage data to serve relevant ads. AdMob follows Google's advertising policies. You can opt out of personalized ads through your device's advertising settings (Android: Google Settings > Ads; iOS: Settings > Privacy > Advertising).

Premium subscribers of TexamBuddy enjoy an ad-free experience. Ads do not interfere with exam content or study materials.

🧒 Children's Privacy

TexamBuddy is designed for students preparing for Telangana government competitive examinations. Our target audience is individuals who are generally 18 years of age or older, as government job eligibility typically requires adulthood.

TexamBuddy is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in certain jurisdictions). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under these age thresholds.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us immediately at texambuddy@gmail.com. We will promptly delete such information from our records.

Our app complies with:

• Google Play Families Policy
• Apple App Store guidelines for age-appropriate apps
• COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) where applicable

⚖️ User Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Correction: You can update or correct inaccurate information through app settings or by contacting us.
• Right to Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and all associated personal data. Submit your request through the app or email us at texambuddy@gmail.com.
• Right to Opt-Out of Analytics: You can disable analytics data collection through Privacy Controls in the app settings.
• Right to Opt-Out of Notifications: You can disable push notifications through your device settings at any time.
• Right to Data Portability: Upon request, we can provide your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at texambuddy@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request. Account deletion requests will be processed within 7 business days.

🗃️ Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide our services and as required by law:

• Active Account Data: Retained for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter.
• Analytics Data: Retained for up to 14 months in anonymized form via Firebase Analytics.
• Crash Reports: Retained for up to 90 days via Firebase Crashlytics.
• Payment Records: Transaction records may be retained for up to 7 years to comply with financial and tax regulations.
• Deleted Accounts: When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.
• Backup Data: Deleted data may persist in encrypted backups for up to 90 days before being permanently removed.

📝 Changes to Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make significant changes, we will:

• Update the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy.
• Send a push notification to all active users informing them of the update.
• Display an in-app notice highlighting the key changes upon your next login.
• Post the updated policy on our website at https://texambuddy.com/privacy-policy.

Your continued use of TexamBuddy after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the updated policy, you may delete your account and discontinue using the app.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.