Pustak is a digital library run by Seed2Sapling Education Pvt Ltd ("S2S Education", "we", "us"), Bengaluru, India, that gives teachers at our partner schools access to the textbooks and teaching resources we create. This policy explains what we collect when you use Pustak on the web at pustak.s2seducation.com or through the Pustak Android app, why we collect it, and the choices you have.

What we collect

• Account details: your email address or username. If you sign in with a password, we store only a secure one-way hash of it, never the password itself.
• Google sign-in: if you choose "Sign in with Google", Google tells us your email address and confirms it is verified. We do not receive your Google password or access your Google account.
• Library access: which books you have been given access to and until when.
• Reading time: while a book is open on screen, Pustak records how long you read it (in 10-second steps), so S2S Education can see how the library is used and protect its books from misuse.
• Security records: when a sign-in fails, we keep the account name and the IP address for 15 minutes to stop password guessing.
• Technical data: like any website, our server receives your IP address and browser or device type with each request, and may keep these in server logs to keep the service running and secure.
• Usage statistics: we use Google Analytics to understand how Pustak is used, on the web and in the app: which pages and books are opened, for how long, and the type of device, browser, approximate location (city and country) and whether you are using the website or the app. Google Analytics identifies your browser or app with a random ID; we do not send it your email address or any other account details.

We do not collect your phone number, contacts, precise location, photos or files. Pustak has no advertising.

Cookies and storage

Pustak uses cookies to keep you signed in (for up to 30 days) and to protect forms against misuse. Google Analytics sets its own cookies (named _ga) to count visits; these last up to 2 years. The reader also remembers small display preferences in your browser for the current session. We do not use advertising cookies.

How we use your information

• to sign you in and show you the books you have access to;
• to manage accounts, book access and reading reports for our partner schools;
• to keep Pustak secure, fix problems, and investigate copying or other misuse of our books;
• to see which books and features are used, so we can improve Pustak and our books.

We do not sell your information or use it for advertising.

Who can see it

• Pustak administrators (S2S Education staff) can see your email address, your book access and your reading time. We may share reading reports with your school as part of our partnership.
• Service providers that run Pustak for us: our hosting provider stores the data; Google provides "Sign in with Google" and Google Analytics (see how Google uses this data); fonts and icons are loaded from Google Fonts and Cloudflare (cdnjs), which receive your IP address when they send them.
• Authorities, where the law requires us to, or to report and act against copyright infringement of our books.

Security

All connections to Pustak are encrypted (HTTPS). Passwords are stored as one-way hashes, book pages are sent to the reader in encrypted form, and repeated failed sign-ins are blocked. No system is completely secure, but we work to protect your information.

How long we keep it

We keep your account, book access and reading time while your account exists. Failed sign-in records are deleted after 15 minutes. When your account is deleted, your account details, book access and reading time are deleted with it.

Deleting your account

You can ask us to delete your Pustak account and all data linked to it at any time. Email info@s2seducation.com from the email address you use with Pustak, with the subject "Delete my Pustak account". We will delete it within 30 days and confirm by email. Your school can also ask us to remove the accounts of its teachers. We may keep a record of a deleted account only where we need it for an ongoing investigation of misuse or as the law requires.

Your rights

Under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and other applicable laws, you can ask to see the personal data we hold about you, correct it, or delete it, and you can raise a complaint with us. Write to info@s2seducation.com and we will reply within 30 days.

Children

Pustak is for teachers and staff, not for children. We do not knowingly create accounts for, or collect data from, anyone under 18. If you believe a child has an account, contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update the date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will also tell users through Pustak.

Contact

Seed2Sapling Education Pvt Ltd
No: 29, 4th Floor, 7th Cross Road, Ranna Rd, Pampa Extension, Hebbal Kempapura, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560024
Email: info@s2seducation.com

See also our Terms of Service.