Student Guidelines, Terms of Enrolment and Code of Conduct

Article 1 — preamble

1.1 Prism School of Music (“PSOM” / “the School”), a unit of PSOM Studios Private Limited, a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 and having its schools at Gurugram, Faridabad and New Delhi, is engaged in the business of imparting music education, both in offline (in-school) and online modes, across vocal and instrumental disciplines.

1.2 These Student Guidelines, Terms of Enrolment and Code of Conduct (“Guidelines”) set out the contractual terms, rules of conduct, health and safety protocols, child-safeguarding measures, data-privacy commitments and grievance-redressal mechanism applicable to every person enrolled with the School, and are framed having regard to prevailing industry practice among organised music and performing-arts academies in India and the applicable laws of India, including but not limited to the Indian Contract Act, 1872, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and rules made thereunder, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the Copyright Act, 1957, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

1.3 These Guidelines constitute a binding contract between the School and every Student (and, where the Student is a minor, the Student's Parent/Guardian executing on the Student's behalf) upon registration, and are in addition to, and not in derogation of, any separate course-specific enrolment form, fee receipt, or instrument-hire agreement executed between the parties.

Article 2 — definitions and interpretation

2.1 In these Guidelines, unless the context otherwise requires:

“Academic Term” / “Quarter” means the fee and attendance cycle (ordinarily of three (3) months, or such other duration as the School may notify) by reference to which lesson entitlements, rescheduling limits and refund calculations are computed.

“the School” / “PSOM” means Prism School of Music, a unit of PSOM Studios Private Limited, acting through its authorised administration, faculty and staff at any of its schools, or through its online learning platform.

“Course Fee” / “Lesson Fee” means the fee payable for a specific individual lesson, group class, workshop or course, as set out in the fee schedule communicated to the Student at the time of enrolment.

“Faculty” / “Instructor” means any teacher, mentor or contractor engaged by the School to impart instruction to Students.

“Guardian” means the parent or legal guardian of a Student who is a minor (below eighteen (18) years of age), who enrols the minor and executes these Guidelines on the minor's behalf.

“Minor Student” means a Student who has not completed eighteen (18) years of age as on the date of enrolment.

“Personal Data” shall have the meaning assigned to it under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and includes any data about a Student or Guardian by which such person is identifiable.

“Student” means any individual, whether a minor (through his/her Guardian) or an adult, who has registered and paid to attend the School, whether for individual lessons, group classes, workshops or online sessions.

“Withdrawal Form” means the standard form prescribed by the School through which a Student communicates cancellation or discontinuation of enrolment.

2.2 Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; words importing any gender include every gender; and references to statutes include all rules, regulations, amendments and re-enactments thereof for the time being in force.

2.3 Headings are inserted for convenience only and shall not affect the interpretation of these Guidelines.

Article 3 — applicability and acceptance

3.1 These Guidelines apply to every Student and Guardian, at every Prism school and in respect of every online class conducted by the School, from the date of first registration until the Student's enrolment is validly terminated or withdrawn in accordance with Article 6.

3.2 Submission of the registration form, whether physically or through the School's website/WhatsApp Business number, together with payment of any part of the Course Fee, constitutes unconditional acceptance of these Guidelines by the Student and, in the case of a Minor Student, by the Guardian executing the same. Continued attendance after any amendment notified under Article 22 shall likewise constitute acceptance of the amended Guidelines.

3.3 In the event of any conflict between these Guidelines and a specific written agreement signed between the School and a Student/Guardian, the specific written agreement shall prevail to the extent of the conflict.

Article 4 — admission, registration and enrolment

4.1 Admission is subject to availability of seats, the Student's assessed proficiency level (where applicable) and completion of the registration formalities prescribed by the School, including submission of accurate personal, contact, medical and (for minors) Guardian details.

4.2 There is no separate registration or administrative fee to pay. The Course Fee includes a registration fee of ₹1,000, which is non-refundable in all cases.

4.3 The Student/Guardian shall promptly intimate the School of any change in contact details, medical condition, or (for minors) change of Guardian/emergency contact, in writing.

4.4 The School reserves the right, acting reasonably and without discrimination on any ground prohibited by law, to decline or discontinue admission where seats are unavailable, where the Student's conduct is inconsistent with Article 9 or 16, or where fees remain outstanding in accordance with Article 5.

Article 5 — fees, payment terms and taxes

5.1 The Course Fee for each instrument/technique and level is displayed at the school and/or on the School's website and is inclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST) at the rate prevailing in law. No GST or other charge is added on top of the Course Fee, and the GST component is shown on the invoice/receipt issued to the Student.

5.2 Payment options: the Course Fee for a Term may be paid (a) as a lump-sum for the Term, or (b) in two equal instalments, the first payable before commencement of lessons and the second on or before the completion of the fourth (4th) lesson of the Term. The School may, at its discretion, offer additional instalment plans on request.

5.3 Accepted modes of payment are UPI, debit/credit card, net-banking, and account-payee cheque/demand draft; cash payments, if accepted, shall be acknowledged by an official receipt in all cases.

5.4 A Student/Guardian shall ensure payment of dues within fifteen (15) days of the date of the invoice. Non-payment beyond this period may attract a reasonable late-payment charge, as notified by the School in advance, and the School may suspend the Student's lessons until outstanding dues (together with any applicable late charges) are cleared. Suspension for non-payment shall not, by itself, terminate the enrolment, and lessons shall resume on clearance of dues, subject to seat availability.

5.5 Fee revisions, if any, shall be prospective only, shall not affect fees already paid for a current Term, and shall be notified to Students at least thirty (30) days in advance through the School's official communication channels (e-mail, WhatsApp or notice at the school).

Article 6 — cancellation, withdrawal and refund policy

6.1 A Student/Guardian wishing to discontinue enrolment shall submit a duly completed Withdrawal Form to the school administrator or by e-mail to mgmt@prismschoolofmusic.com. Verbal or informal intimation (including non-attendance) shall not, by itself, constitute withdrawal or stop fee liability.

6.2 Refund window: a Student who withdraws in writing within one (1) month of the start of the Term or before the fourth (4th) lesson of the Term, whichever is earlier, shall be entitled to a refund of the Course Fee paid for that Term, less (a) the fee for lessons already attended, or scheduled and missed without the notice required under Article 7, at the per-lesson rate (the Course Fee for the Term, excluding GST, divided by the number of lessons in the Term); (b) the non-refundable registration fee of ₹1,000 under Article 4.2; and (c) the Goods and Services Tax (GST) component shown on the invoice, which is not refundable. Where the Course Fee is being paid in instalments, the refund is calculated on the amount actually paid, and the second instalment shall not be payable.

6.3 No refund after the refund window: no refund shall be payable for a withdrawal made after the end of the first month of the Term or on or after the fourth (4th) lesson of the Term, whichever is earlier, in any circumstances, save as provided in Article 6.6. A Student who withdraws after the refund window remains liable for any instalment of the Course Fee that has already fallen due. Any instrument security deposit is dealt with separately under Article 10.1 and is not deducted from, or added to, a refund under this Article.

6.4 No refund shall be payable in respect of lessons already conducted or scheduled and missed without the requisite notice under Article 7, or where withdrawal follows suspension/termination under Article 19 for disciplinary reasons.

6.5 Refunds, where payable, shall be processed within fifteen (15) business days of approval of the Withdrawal Form, to the original mode of payment, in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, to the extent applicable to fees collected through the School's online payment channels.

6.6 The School may, on its own initiative, discontinue a course (for reasons such as discontinuation of faculty or insufficient enrolment in a batch) upon fifteen (15) days' notice, in which event the Student shall be entitled to a full pro-rata refund of fees paid for unattended lessons, or, at the Student's option, adjustment against another course.

Article 7 — attendance, punctuality and rescheduling

7.1 Students are required to arrive at least five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled commencement of a lesson or class, and shall sign the attendance register (for in-school lessons) or log in to the online platform at the scheduled time.

7.2 Both the Student and the Faculty are entitled to a maximum of three (3) reschedules/leaves per Quarter. A rescheduling request shall be made at least twelve (12) hours in advance for online classes and twenty-four (24) hours in advance for in-school classes, through the official communication channel designated by the School. Requests beyond the permitted number, or made without the requisite notice, will ordinarily be treated as a completed/utilised lesson, save where Article 8 (medical emergency) applies. A lesson cancelled by the School or the Faculty shall be rescheduled or credited to the Student and shall not count against the reschedule allowance of the Student.

7.3 If a Student is more than twenty (20) minutes late to a scheduled lesson without at least twenty-four (24) hours' prior written notice, the lesson shall be marked “absent” and treated as utilised; no make-up lesson or reimbursement shall be due for that session, save under Article 8.

7.4 Where two (2) or more Students share a group class, no single Student may unilaterally reschedule that class; rescheduling of a group class requires the consent of all enrolled Students and the Instructor, or, failing consensus, shall be decided by the School acting reasonably.

7.5 Any change to the schedule of classes initiated by the School shall be communicated in writing (e-mail and/or WhatsApp), and not merely by verbal intimation, so as to maintain a clear record for both parties.

Article 8 — leave, absence, medical emergency and extended absence

8.1 Where a Student is unable to attend a lesson owing to illness or medical emergency, the School shall accept a written intimation at the earliest opportunity, followed by a doctor's note/medical certificate within a reasonable time not exceeding seven (7) days; such absence shall not be counted against the reschedule limit in Article 7.2.

8.2 Where a Student is required to remain absent for four (4) or more consecutive weeks owing to medical reasons, the Student/Guardian shall promptly notify the School in writing, whereupon the School shall, in consultation with the Student/Guardian, offer reasonable alternative arrangements, which may include a pause in the fee cycle, extension of the Term, or online make-up sessions, as feasible.

8.3 Nothing in this Article obliges the School to indefinitely hold a seat/time-slot open, and any extended pause shall be confirmed in writing between the parties, specifying the revised schedule and fee treatment.

Article 9 — code of conduct — general

9.1 Every Student shall conduct himself/herself with courtesy and discipline towards Faculty, staff, fellow Students and visitors, and shall comply with all reasonable directions given by the School's staff and Faculty for the safe and orderly conduct of lessons.

9.2 During lessons and classes, mobile phones and other electronic devices shall be kept on silent mode unless the Instructor permits otherwise; photography or video/audio recording of any lesson is prohibited without the prior written permission of the School and the concerned Faculty member.

9.3 Where more than one Student is present in a class, all Students shall refrain from conduct causing disruption, including excessive noise or unnecessary movement in and out of the room; a Student who persistently disregards this rule may be asked to step out of that session, without prejudice to the fee treatment of that lesson.

9.4 A Student may bring one (1) accompanying friend or family member to observe a lesson, subject to space constraints and the Instructor's consent; only one such accompanying person may remain in the room during the lesson.

9.5 All jewellery and accessories that may be hazardous, distracting, or damaging to instruments shall be removed before the commencement of a lesson, at the reasonable discretion of the Instructor.

9.6 Food and beverages are not permitted inside classrooms or practice rooms in order to protect instruments and equipment. A Student who causes damage to School property in breach of this Article shall bear the reasonable cost of repair or replacement, assessed on a fair and documented basis.

9.7 Students and accompanying persons shall dispose of litter only in designated bins, both within classrooms and elsewhere on the premises.

9.8 Where an instrument is to be self-supplied, the Student shall bring the same in good working condition to each lesson; the School shall not be liable for wear, damage, theft or loss of a Student's personal instrument or belongings save where such loss or damage arises from the School's own negligence or that of its staff.

Article 10 — use of school instruments, equipment and facilities

10.1 Instruments and equipment provided by the School for practice or instruction shall be used with due care and strictly for the purpose of instruction; any security deposit collected for use of a School instrument shall be refundable on return of the instrument in the condition in which it was issued, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

10.2 The School shall maintain its instruments and premises in reasonably safe condition and shall carry out periodic safety checks of electrical fittings, fire-safety equipment and premises, consistent with applicable local building, fire, and shops-and-establishments regulations of the State in which the relevant school is situated.

10.3 The School shall, so far as reasonably practicable, maintain adequate general/public-liability insurance and first-aid facilities at each Prism school; nothing in this Article makes the School an insurer of a Student's health or a guarantor against all risk inherent in physical presence at the school.

Article 11 — safeguarding of minors and child-protection policy

11.1 The School is committed to the safety, dignity and well-being of every Minor Student and complies with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (“POCSO”) and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. Every member of Faculty and staff who is likely to come into contact with Minor Students shall be made aware of their obligations under POCSO, including the mandatory duty to report any knowledge or apprehension of an offence against a child to the Special Juvenile Police Unit or local police under Section 19 of POCSO.

11.2 The School shall, prior to engaging any Faculty member or staff who interacts with Minor Students, undertake reasonable background verification and require a signed undertaking of good conduct; individual lessons involving a Minor Student shall, so far as practicable, be conducted in rooms with visibility (e.g., a glass panel or open-door policy) or in the presence of another adult, and the School shall maintain a designated Child Safety/Grievance point of contact, reachable at mgmt@prismschoolofmusic.com or through the school administrator at any Prism school.

11.3 A Minor Student shall not be released to any person other than the Guardian or a person specifically authorised in writing by the Guardian; the Guardian shall keep the authorised-pickup list updated with the school administrator.

11.4 Any concern relating to the safety or welfare of a Minor Student, including any form of inappropriate conduct by staff, Faculty or another Student, shall be reported immediately to the Child Safety point of contact and/or through the Grievance Redressal Mechanism at Article 20, and the School shall treat every such report with confidentiality, seriousness and urgency, and shall cooperate fully with any statutory authority in the event a report requires action under POCSO or the JJ Act, 2015.

11.5 The School shall not use images, videos, names or other identifying information of a Minor Student for any purpose except as permitted under Article 14, and only upon the express written consent of the Guardian.

Article 12 — parent/guardian responsibilities

12.1 A Minor Student is the responsibility of the designated Guardian before arrival at, and after departure from, the school; the School's responsibility for a Minor Student is limited to the duration of the scheduled lesson and any reasonable waiting period communicated by the School.

12.2 The Guardian shall ensure a Minor Student is collected promptly at the conclusion of a lesson; the School shall not be liable for a Minor Student left unsupervised beyond a reasonable time (not exceeding fifteen (15) minutes) after the scheduled end of a lesson, provided the School has made reasonable efforts to contact the Guardian on becoming aware of the delay.

12.3 The Guardian shall promptly disclose to the School any medical condition, allergy, disability or special learning requirement of the Minor Student so that the School may make reasonable accommodation, consistent with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 where applicable.

Article 13 — health, medical disclosure and emergency

13.1 Every Student/Guardian shall disclose, at the time of registration and as and when arising thereafter, any allergy, medical condition or disability relevant to the Student's safe participation in lessons.

13.2 In a medical emergency at the school, the School shall administer available first aid, contact the Guardian/emergency contact without delay, and, where necessary, arrange or facilitate transport to the nearest hospital; any consequent medical expense shall be borne by the Student/Guardian, and the School's role is limited to reasonable emergency assistance.

13.3 The School shall not be liable for any injury sustained by a Student while at the school except to the extent such injury is caused by the proven negligence or wilful default of the School, its employees or Faculty.

Article 14 — photography, videography, social media and promotional use

14.1 The School may, from time to time, capture photographs and videos of Students during classes, recitals and events for internal record-keeping and for promotional use on its website and social-media channels.

14.2 By signing the enrolment form at registration, the Student (if an adult) or the Guardian (if the Student is a minor) gives the School written consent to use photographs, videos and recordings of the Student, taken during lessons, recitals and School events, for the School's promotional purposes only, including its website, social media and brochures. This consent may be withdrawn at any time by written notice, without affecting material already lawfully published prior to such withdrawal to the extent removal is not reasonably practicable.

14.3 A Student/Guardian may opt out of promotional photography/videography at the time of registration or at any later time by written intimation, and the School shall take reasonable steps to identify such Students to Faculty conducting the recording.

14.4 Nothing in this Article authorises reproduction of copyrighted musical works, sheet music or sound recordings by the School or Students beyond fair use for instructional purposes, and Students shall respect third-party copyright in all material used or shared during lessons, in accordance with the Copyright Act, 1957.

Article 15 — data privacy and protection

15.1 The School collects and processes the Personal Data of Students and Guardians (including name, contact details, payment information, attendance records and, where consented, photographs/videos) solely for the purposes of admission, instruction, billing, safety and communication, in accordance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the Information Technology Act, 2000 and rules made thereunder.

15.2 The School shall obtain clear consent before collecting or processing Personal Data for any purpose beyond the core purposes stated above, shall retain such data only for so long as reasonably necessary, and shall implement reasonable security practices and procedures to protect Personal Data against unauthorised access, use or disclosure.

15.3 A Student/Guardian may, by written request to mgmt@prismschoolofmusic.com, seek access to, correction of, or erasure of Personal Data held by the School, subject to the School's legitimate retention requirements (including statutory record-keeping and taxation obligations).

15.4 The School shall not sell or transfer Personal Data to third parties for their independent marketing purposes, and shall share Personal Data with third-party service providers (e.g., payment gateways, SMS/e-mail service providers) only to the extent necessary to operate the School and subject to appropriate confidentiality safeguards.

15.5 A detailed Privacy Policy, consistent with this Article, is published on the School's website and forms part of these Guidelines by reference.

Article 16 — anti-discrimination, anti-ragging and anti-harassment

16.1 The School follows a strict non-discrimination policy and shall not deny or vary admission, seating, or opportunity on the ground of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, disability or any other ground prohibited by law.

16.2 Ragging, bullying, harassment or intimidation of any Student by another Student, Faculty member or staff member, whether physical, verbal or through electronic/social media, is strictly prohibited and shall attract disciplinary action under Article 19, in addition to any liability the offending individual may incur in law.

16.3 The School maintains, in respect of its employees and Faculty, an Internal Committee and policy consistent with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013; any complaint of sexual harassment involving an adult Student, employee or Faculty member shall be directed to that Internal Committee, while any concern involving a Minor Student shall additionally be dealt with under Article 11 (POCSO).

Article 17 — liability, indemnity and insurance

17.1 Save as expressly stated in these Guidelines, the School's liability to a Student/Guardian in respect of any claim arising out of or in connection with these Guidelines shall not exceed the Course Fee paid by the Student for the Term in which the cause of action arose, save in cases of proven wilful default, fraud, or gross negligence on the part of the School, its employees or Faculty, where no such cap shall apply.

17.2 The School shall not be liable for indirect, incidental or consequential loss, save to the extent such exclusion is not permitted by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 or other applicable law.

17.3 A Student/Guardian shall indemnify the School against loss or damage to School property or third-party claims directly and proximately caused by the Student's wilful misconduct or negligence, to a reasonable and documented extent.

Article 18 — intellectual property

18.1 All curriculum, teaching material, video content and course structure developed by the School remain the intellectual property of PSOM Studios Private Limited and may not be reproduced, distributed or used to establish a competing enterprise without the School's prior written consent.

18.2Nothing in this Article affects a Student's ownership of the Student's own original compositions or performances created during the course of instruction.

Article 19 — suspension, termination and expulsion

19.1 The School may suspend a Student's lessons where fees remain outstanding beyond the period specified in Article 5.4, until dues are cleared.

19.2 The School may, after issuing a written warning and a reasonable opportunity to respond (save in cases of serious misconduct, safety risk, or conduct falling within Article 11 or 16 where immediate suspension is warranted), suspend or terminate a Student's enrolment for repeated or serious breach of these Guidelines, including violence, harassment, damage to property, or non-payment of dues beyond thirty (30) days.

19.3 On termination for cause under this Article, the Student shall not be entitled to any refund for the then-current Term, without prejudice to the School's right to recover any outstanding dues.

Article 20 — grievance redressal mechanism

20.1 The School has designated a Grievance Officer to receive and redress complaints from Students/Guardians relating to fees, conduct, safety, data privacy or any other aspect of these Guidelines. The Grievance Officer may be contacted by e-mail at mgmt@prismschoolofmusic.com, or through the school administrator at any Prism school.

20.2 A written complaint shall be acknowledged within forty-eight (48) hours and shall ordinarily be resolved within fifteen (15) business days of receipt; where a complaint requires longer to investigate (including any matter under Article 11), the School shall communicate the expected timeline to the complainant.

20.3 This internal mechanism is without prejudice to a Student/Guardian's statutory right to approach the appropriate Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, or any other competent authority.

Article 21 — force majeure

21.1 Neither party shall be liable for any failure or delay in performance directly caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disaster, pandemic, governmental order, strike, or failure of public utilities/internet infrastructure (“Force Majeure Event”).

21.2 During a Force Majeure Event, the School may, at its discretion and after notifying Students, shift in-school lessons to an online mode, defer lessons, or extend the Term, and fees shall be adjusted on a fair, pro-rata basis having regard to lessons actually delivered.

Article 22 — amendment and modification of guidelines

22.1 The School may amend these Guidelines from time to time to reflect changes in law, industry practice, or its own operational requirements. Material amendments shall be notified to Students/Guardians at least fifteen (15) days in advance through the School's official communication channels and shall be published on the School's website.

22.2 An amendment shall not retrospectively prejudice a right or entitlement (including a refund entitlement) that has already accrued to a Student as on the date of the amendment.

Article 23 — severability and waiver

23.1 If any provision of these Guidelines is held by a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, such provision shall be severed and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

23.2 No failure or delay by the School in enforcing any provision of these Guidelines shall operate as a waiver of that provision or of any other provision.

Article 24 — governing law, jurisdiction and dispute resolution

24.1 These Guidelines shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India.

24.2 The parties shall in the first instance attempt to resolve any dispute amicably through the Grievance Redressal Mechanism in Article 20. Failing amicable resolution within thirty (30) days, either party may refer the dispute to mediation/conciliation, and, failing settlement, the competent courts and consumer fora in the State of Haryana or the National Capital Territory of Delhi, as relevant to the school of enrolment, shall have jurisdiction, without prejudice to a consumer's right to approach a Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission having jurisdiction under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.