This Policy forms an integral part of the Terms and Conditions of ZOE Global Online School. In the event of any conflict, the Terms and Conditions prevail, except on refund matters expressly governed here.
Purpose. This Policy explains when and how fees paid for ZOE Global Online School programs may be refunded. It applies uniformly to every learner and every program, and is designed to comply with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 of India, while reflecting internationally recognised fair-refund practice for digital education.
1. Scope and Application
1.1 This Policy governs refunds and cancellations for all live cohorts, self-paced courses, tutoring, test preparation programs, crash courses, and any current or future offering delivered under the ZOE Global Online School brand.
1.2 The same terms apply to every enrollee. There is no program-wise segmentation, except where a specific statutory right or an expressly published program-specific guarantee provides an additional entitlement.
1.3 Enrolment, payment of fees, logging into the learning platform, or use of any service constitutes informed acceptance of this Policy. Consent is captured through an explicit, affirmative action. No pre-ticked boxes are used, in line with the E-Commerce Rules, 2020.
1.4 Institutional and B2B engagements are governed by the refund terms of the applicable written agreement. Where that agreement is silent, this Policy applies.
2. Definitions
- “Company” - Rarepillar Education Services Private Limited, operating the ZOE Global Online School platform, and the seller and merchant of record for all enrolments.
- “Brand” - ZOE Global Online School, the brand under which programs are marketed and delivered.
- “Learner” - any person who enrols in or registers for any offering. Where the learner is a minor, the parent or legal guardian holds the account and the contractual relationship.
- “Tuition Fee” - the core instructional fee, excluding taxes, registration, digital-access, and material charges. The Tuition Fee is 70% of the total fees paid.
- “Commencement” - the scheduled batch start date or the first content unlock, whichever is earlier.
- “Course Progress” - scheduled sessions delivered as a percentage of the total planned for the batch, measured by sessions delivered and not by calendar time or learner attendance.
3. Guiding Principles
3.1 Fees are, as a general rule, non-transferable and non-adjustable. Course transfers, deferrals, and pauses are not permitted.
3.2 Refunds are provided only in the circumstances set out in this Policy or where required by applicable law.
3.3 Nothing in this Policy limits any non-waivable statutory right a consumer holds under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 or under the mandatory consumer law of their country of residence.
4. Cooling-Off Period
4.1 Every learner is offered a 7-day cooling-off period from the date of payment.
4.2 A full refund of the fee paid, less taxes already remitted to authorities and non-recoverable payment-gateway charges, is available if the request is made within this window and before the first live session or content unlock.
4.3 This mirrors the 14-day norm on global platforms, adapted to the fast-start nature of cohort-based programs.
5. Payment Mandates and Third-Party Financing
5.1 Auto-debit, e-NACH and standing instructions. Where a learner authorises a recurring payment mandate (e-NACH, UPI AutoPay, standing instruction, or card-on-file) for instalments, that mandate remains active until all dues under the enrolment are cleared. Cancellation of a payment mandate by the learner does not cancel the enrolment, extinguish any outstanding fee, or by itself constitute a refund request. A learner who wishes to withdraw must submit a written request under Clause 10; mandate cancellation alone is treated as a payment default.
5.2 Effect of mandate cancellation. If a mandate is cancelled or a scheduled debit fails while fees remain due, the Company may, after written notice, suspend platform access, apply late-payment charges as published, and recover the outstanding balance. Amounts already paid before cancellation remain subject to this Policy and are not automatically refundable.
5.3 Third-party financing and EMI. Where fees are funded through a third-party lender, NBFC, or deferred-payment partner, the loan is a separate contract between the learner and that provider. The Company is not a party to it and is not responsible for the provider’s interest, processing fees, approval, rejection, foreclosure terms, or collection practices.
5.4 Refunds on financed enrolments. Any refund due under this Policy is calculated on the actual Tuition Fee and, where applicable, is remitted to the learner or parent to be set off against the outstanding loan, in line with the partner’s and the Reserve Bank of India’s requirements. The learner remains liable to the lender for interest, processing charges, and any amount not covered by the refund. A refund does not by itself cancel or pause EMI obligations, which continue until the lender confirms closure.
5.5 Disputes with financing partners. Grievances relating to loan terms, EMI schedules, or debits by a financing partner must be raised with that partner directly. The Company will provide reasonable transaction records to assist, but bears no liability for the partner’s decisions.
6. Refund Structure
Where a learner cancels after the cooling-off period, refunds are calculated on the Tuition Fee according to how much of the program has been delivered:
| Stage / Scenario | Trigger Condition | Refund Entitlement |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling-off period | Within 7 calendar days of payment AND before the first live session or content unlock | 100% of the fee paid, less taxes and gateway charges |
| Before commencement | After the 7-day window but before the batch start date | 75% of the Tuition Fee, less deductions (Clause 7) |
| Early program stage | From batch start, up to 7 calendar days of scheduled sessions delivered. Where enrolment occurs after classes have commenced, earlier slabs do not apply. | 50% of the Tuition Fee, less deductions (Clause 7) |
| Later program stage | After 7 calendar days from the batch start date or of scheduled sessions delivered | No refund |
| Cancelled by the Company | The Company cancels or discontinues a program with no equivalent alternative offered | 100% of the fee paid, including taxes, subject to statute |
| Deficient or not-as-described | Verified material failure to deliver the service as described (statutory right) | Remedy per law - re-delivery, suitable equivalent, or proportionate refund |
Course progress is assessed by sessions delivered, not by attendance. A learner’s non-attendance does not reduce the count of sessions delivered by the Company.
7. Deductions Applied to Refunds
Where a refund is payable, the following non-tuition components are excluded and deducted before calculation, to the extent permitted by law:
- Goods and Services Tax and other statutory taxes or levies already remitted to authorities.
- Registration and admission charges.
- Where learning modules or student kits have been dispatched, a deduction of INR 5,000.
- Digital and platform-access charges.
- Cost of learning materials, PDFs, and any physical dispatch.
- Payment-gateway and transaction charges.
- Any scholarship or discount already applied. Refunds are computed on the actual base Tuition Fee paid, never on list price.
8. Non-Refundable Situations
Subject to the learner’s statutory rights, no refund is issued in the following cases:
- Voluntary withdrawal, relocation, drop-out, or change of mind after the applicable refund window.
- Test series, crash courses, short-term cohorts, and PDF or material-only downloadable purchases where content has been accessed, and any offering expressly marked “Zero Refund” at enrolment.
- Absence for personal reasons, including illness, travel, scheduling conflicts, or external academic pressure.
- Issues arising solely from the learner’s own device, internet connectivity, or power supply.
- Dissatisfaction with teaching methodology, pace, batch timing, or assigned faculty, including requests to change faculty or batch. The Company reserves the right to assign and substitute faculty and to structure batches at its discretion.
- Cancellation or postponement of external board or entrance examinations by any authority.
- Termination of enrolment for misconduct, academic dishonesty, credential sharing, unauthorised recording or distribution of content, fraud, or breach of the Terms and Conditions.
- Enrolments where an accepted special request or deviation from standard terms was expressly agreed on a “No Refund” basis and confirmed in writing.
9. Deficient Service, Force Majeure and Statutory Rights
9.1 Consistent with the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, the Company will not refuse a refund where a service is proven defective, deficient, or materially not as described. In such verified cases, the learner is entitled to an appropriate remedy - re-delivery of the service, a suitable equivalent, or a proportionate refund.
9.2 Obligations may be suspended, without penalty to either party, during genuine force majeure events including natural disaster, epidemic, war, nationwide or regional outage, or governmental action.
10. How to Request a Refund
10.1 Email support@zoeedtech.com from your registered email address, stating the learner’s name, program, payment reference, and reason for the request.
10.2 You will receive an acknowledgement within 7 working days. Verbal or telephone requests are not valid on their own and must be confirmed in writing.
10.3 The Company verifies eligibility against this Policy and communicates a written decision.
10.4 Approved refunds are remitted to the bank account details provided from the registered email address. Where the learner is a minor, refunds are remitted to the parent or legal guardian holding the account, and the account name must match.
Service Timelines
| Stage | Committed Timeline |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgement of request | Within 7 working days |
| Eligibility review and written decision | Within 20 business days |
| Grievance resolution, if escalated | Within 30 days (E-Commerce Rules, 2020) |
| Disbursement of approved refund | As per RBI timelines, typically 5 to 10 business days after approval |
11. Grievance Redressal and Escalation
11.1 In compliance with the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, the Company maintains a designated Grievance Redressal Officer who acknowledges complaints within 48 hours and resolves them within 30 days.
- Level 1 - Support: support@zoeedtech.com
- Level 2 - Grievance Officer: directordesk@zoeedtech.com
11.2 If a complaint remains unresolved, the learner may approach the National Consumer Helpline (1915) or the appropriate Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, without prejudice to the dispute-resolution mechanism below.
12. Governing Law, Disputes and Jurisdiction
12.1 This Policy forms part of a legally binding contract under the Indian Contract Act, 1872 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
12.2 Nothing in this Policy removes a consumer’s right to approach the consumer forums established under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, or the equivalent forums available under the mandatory law of their country of residence.
12.3 Subject to the above, the courts at Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India shall have jurisdiction.
13. Contact
Contracting Entity: Rarepillar Education Services Private Limited
Brand: ZOE Global Online School
Registered Office: C-56 A/12, Second Floor, Technopolis IT Hub, Opposite Stellar IT Park, Block-C, Phase-II, Industrial Area, Sector-62, Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh 201309, India
Refund Requests: support@zoeedtech.com
Website: www.zoeedtech.com