This Cookie Policy explains how Schoolyst ("Schoolyst," "we," "us," or "our") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you visit our website at https://schoolyst.in or use our Services. This Policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy.
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work efficiently, remember preferences, and provide information to site owners.
Similar technologies include:
- Local storage and session storage: browser-based storage for preferences and application state.
- Pixels and web beacons: small graphics used to understand how users interact with emails or pages.
- Software development kits (SDKs): in mobile or embedded contexts, where applicable.
In this Policy, we refer to all of these as "cookies" unless otherwise noted.
2. How We Use Cookies
We use cookies for the following purposes:
- Essential operation: to enable core website and platform functionality, security, and authentication.
- Preferences: to remember settings such as theme (light/dark mode), sidebar state, and language where supported.
- Analytics: to understand how visitors use our website and improve content and performance (only with your consent where required).
- Security: to detect abuse, prevent fraud, and protect accounts.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
3.1 Strictly Necessary (Essential) Cookies
These cookies are required for the Services to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually set in response to actions you take, such as logging in, setting privacy preferences, or filling in forms.
- Authentication session cookies
- Purpose: Maintain your logged-in session securely
- Duration: Session / as configured
- sidebar:state
- Purpose: Remember sidebar open/closed preference in dashboard
- Duration: 7 days
- schoolyst-cookie-consent
- Purpose: Store your cookie consent choice
- Duration: Persistent until cleared
- CSRF / security tokens
- Purpose: Protect against cross-site request forgery
- Duration: Session
Essential cookies do not require consent under many privacy laws because they are strictly necessary to provide a service you have requested.
3.2 Functional Cookies
These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalization, such as remembering display preferences. If you disable them, some features may not work as expected.
- Theme preference
- Purpose: Remember light or dark mode selection
- Duration: Persistent
- Locale / language
- Purpose: Remember language preference if enabled
- Duration: Persistent
3.3 Analytics Cookies (Optional)
With your consent where required, we may use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our marketing website — for example, which pages are visited, how long users stay, and how they arrived at the site. This helps us improve our content and user experience.
Analytics cookies are not used to sell your personal data. We configure analytics tools to minimize identification where possible. If you select "Essential only" in our cookie banner, optional analytics cookies will not be activated.
3.4 Marketing Cookies (Optional)
We currently do not use third-party advertising or retargeting cookies on the Schoolyst platform. If this changes, we will update this Policy and request consent where required before placing such cookies.
4. First-Party vs. Third-Party Cookies
First-party cookies are set by Schoolyst directly when you use our website or application.
Third-party cookies are set by external services we use, such as payment processors, embedded content, or analytics providers (if consented). Third parties may use cookies according to their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review those policies.
5. Cookies in the Schoolyst Application
When you use the authenticated Schoolyst dashboard or admin tools, cookies and local storage are primarily used for:
- Secure session management and authentication
- Role-based access and multi-school context switching
- UI preferences (sidebar, theme)
- Security monitoring and rate limiting
These are essential for operating the SaaS platform and are not used for unrelated advertising purposes.
6. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
6.1 Cookie Banner
When you first visit our public website, you will see a cookie consent banner allowing you to:
- Accept all: allow essential and optional cookies (including analytics where deployed).
- Essential only: allow only strictly necessary cookies required for the site to function.
Your choice is stored in the schoolyst-cookie-consent local storage key so the banner does not reappear on every visit. You can change your mind by clearing site data in your browser or contacting us.
6.2 Browser Settings
Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies through settings. Instructions are typically found under "Privacy," "Security," or "Cookies" in your browser's help menu. Note that blocking all cookies may prevent you from using certain features of the Services, including logging in.
6.3 Do Not Track
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal. There is no universal standard for responding to DNT signals. We currently do not alter our practices solely in response to DNT signals, but we honor cookie choices made through our consent banner and browser controls.
7. Legal Basis for Cookies
- Essential cookies: necessary for the performance of a contract (providing the Services you request) or our legitimate interests in security and platform operation.
- Non-essential cookies: based on your consent where required under the GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, and similar laws. You may withdraw consent at any time.
8. Data Collected via Cookies
Information collected through cookies may include IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, timestamps, and referral URLs. This data may be considered personal data under applicable privacy laws. For details on how we handle personal data, see our Privacy Policy.
9. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in technology, cookies we use, or legal requirements. We will post the updated version on this page and revise the effective date. Material changes may be communicated through our website or cookie banner.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about our use of cookies, contact privacy@schoolyst.in or hello@schoolyst.in.