Privacy Policy – Residency

FOLK Residency provides value-based residential programs for students and young professionals, rooted in the spiritual teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. This Privacy Policy applies to all interactions with us, including your stay in our hostels, use of our website https://folknet.in/, and communication with our staff.

We collect only the information that is essential to offer you a safe, well-managed, and spiritually enriching living experience. This includes:

• Identity and Address Proof: We collect documents like Aadhaar card, passport, PAN card, college ID, and your photograph to verify your identity and fulfill legal requirements such as police verification.

• Contact Information: Your mobile number, email ID, and emergency contact details are required for safety notifications, urgent communication, and official notices.

• Financial Information: We record transaction details such as rent payments, refundable advance deposits (typically two months of rent), and any penalties or deductions. This data helps us process invoices, refunds, and ensure transparency.

• Spiritual Progress Details: For residents enrolled in our mentoring programs, we may record your daily japa count, sadhana attendance, and other spiritual milestones. These are strictly used for internal guidance and mentoring, never shared outside ISKCON.

• Website and Device Information: When you visit our site, we may collect your IP address, browser type, device information, and cookie data to improve performance and user experience.

• Disciplinary & Incident Records: In cases of rule violations or safety concerns, we may document reports or exit-related communication to maintain community standards and protect residents.

We collect and process your data based on:

• Contractual necessity – To provide you with residency and related services.

• Legitimate interest – For maintaining discipline, mentoring, security, and quality of service.

• Consent – For newsletters, devotional updates, and voluntary programs.

• Legal obligation – To comply with Indian laws including police verification and tax reporting.

• To verify your identity before onboarding and allocate you a room.

• To generate invoices, accept rent payments, and process refunds in a timely and transparent manner.

• To send official communication related to your stay — including exit confirmations, notices, emergency alerts, and community updates.

• To support your spiritual progress by assigning you a mentor who can help you grow based on your japa and sadhana inputs.

• To maintain safety via restricted access systems, CCTV monitoring, and documented behavioral policies.

• To improve our website by studying anonymized traffic patterns using tools like Google Analytics.

We use CCTV surveillance in all common areas (e.g., corridors, staircases, entrances) for safety and security purposes. These cameras are not installed inside bedrooms or bathrooms. The footage is retained securely for up to 30 days and is only accessible to authorized staff for specific, legitimate reasons.

We do not sell or rent your data to any third parties. However, we may share limited information with:

• ISKCON departments and your assigned mentor, for service delivery and spiritual mentoring.

• Payment processing partners like Razorpay or Paytm for secure transactions.

• Background verification agencies for police clearance, where applicable.

• Government authorities, only when legally required (such as for law enforcement or taxation).

If data is stored outside India on secure cloud infrastructure, appropriate international safeguards (such as contractual clauses) are used to protect your rights.

We retain your data only for as long as necessary:

• Identity documents are retained for up to 1 year after you vacate.

• Financial and tenancy records are kept for up to 8 years in line with Indian tax laws.

• Spiritual logs are retained for 6 months after exit to conclude mentoring, then deleted or anonymized.

• CCTV footage is stored for 30 days unless needed for investigation.

• Disciplinary records may be kept for up to 3 years for legal defense or audit purposes.

You have the following rights over your personal information:

• Right to access: You can request a copy of the data we hold about you.

• Right to correction: You may correct any inaccurate or outdated details.

• Right to deletion: You may request deletion of non-essential or outdated data.

• Right to objection: You may opt out of devotional updates or non-essential processing.

• Right to file a complaint: You may raise a grievance with the Data Protection Board of India once functional under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

You can email us at admin.folk@iskconbangalore.org with a scanned ID and your request. We respond to all verified requests within 15 working days.

Our website uses cookies for two main purposes:

• Essential functionality: Such as session management, login, and language preferences.

• Performance analytics: Using tools like Google Analytics to study how users interact with the site and identify areas for improvement.

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but doing so may limit certain website features.

FOLK Residency primarily serves individuals above the age of 18. If a resident is a minor, we obtain verifiable parental consent for admission and avoid profiling or behavioral tracking of the individual.

If a resident violates FOLK’s core rules (such as engaging in substance abuse, gambling, or disruptive behavior), disciplinary action may be taken. This includes:

• Warnings or suspension of privileges.

• Immediate eviction in serious cases.

• Deductions made from the refundable deposit as per terms and conditions.

• Retention of relevant data for legal purposes.

Exit requests are only valid when sent from your registered email ID to admin.folk@iskconbangalore.org

We take data security seriously. Measures include:

• Encrypted website (SSL)

• Secured document storage

• Role-based access control

• Regular data audits

• CCTV monitoring

• Trained staff with access restrictions

We do our best to safeguard your data, but we also encourage residents to protect their own digital privacy and personal belongings.

We may revise this Privacy Policy periodically to comply with new legal requirements or to reflect changes in our operations. Major changes will be notified via email and clearly displayed on this page with an updated date.

For any privacy concerns or to exercise your rights, contact us at:

Data Privacy Officer – FOLK Residency
ISKCON Bangalore, Hare Krishna Hill
Chord Road, Rajajinagar, Bangalore – 560010
📧 Email: admin.folk@iskconbangalore.org
📞 Phone: +91-80-2357-8344 (Mon–Sat, 10 AM to 6 PM)