**Last updated: [DATE — 14th September 2026]**
These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of scholarscolab.com and everything offered on it — the **Research Basket**: our research mentor marketplace, research simulation codes and other digital downloads, research webinars, our blog, and our newsletter (together, the “Platform”), operated by **Vidhilekha Soft Solutions Pvt Ltd** (“ScholarsColab,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).
By registering for, accessing, or using any part of the Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Platform.
These Terms should be read alongside our [Privacy Policy], which explains how we collect and use your information.
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## Part A — General Terms (apply to everyone)
### A.1 Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old to register an account or transact on the Platform. By using the Platform, you represent that you meet this requirement and that any information you provide is accurate and complete.
### A.2 Accounts
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity under your account. Notify us immediately at **support@scholarscolab.com** if you suspect unauthorized use of your account.
### A.3 Copyright Notice
All content available on this website is copyright to **Vidhilekha Soft Solutions Pvt Ltd**, except where a specific item is identified as belonging to a third party (such as a Research Contributor’s uploaded simulation, under the license described in Part D).
We do not take responsibility for any copied or plagiarized research simulation uploaded by users. Uploaded research simulations are checked once before being made live on the Platform. If you face any issues executing a research simulation, contact us at **support@scholarscolab.com**.
### A.4 Prohibited Conduct
You agree not to:
– Attempt to circumvent the Platform to transact directly with another user outside it, including by sharing contact details through in-platform chat (see Part B.4)
– Upload, sell, or distribute content that infringes the intellectual property rights of others
– Use the Platform to submit fraudulent projects, fraudulent research simulations, or fraudulent payment information
– Attempt to interfere with, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to the Platform or its systems
– Post defamatory, unlawful, or infringing content in blog comments or any other public-facing area of the Platform
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate any account that violates this section, at our sole discretion, with or without notice.
### A.5 Communication and Monitoring
Messaging between Clients and Researchers on the Platform is provided through our in-platform chat only. **You agree not to share phone numbers, email addresses, or third-party messaging app details** through this chat or any other part of the Platform. Messages that attempt to do so may be automatically blocked and are not delivered to the other party.
Chat conversations related to a project may be reviewed by our project management team, solely for the purposes of Platform operation, quality assurance, and dispute resolution as described in Part B.5. You are notified of this within the chat interface itself.
### A.6 Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability
The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.” We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the operation of the Platform or the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content, research simulation, mentor profile, or webinar made available through it.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, ScholarsColab will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Platform.
### A.7 Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of **[jurisdiction — fill in before publishing, e.g., India]**, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any disputes arising under these Terms will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in **[city/state — fill in before publishing]**.
### A.8 Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. We will post the updated Terms on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. Continued use of the Platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
### A.9 Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
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## Part B — Terms for Clients (Project Posters)
### B.1 Posting a Project
When you post a project on the Platform, you agree to provide an accurate and complete description of the work required, including a realistic timeline and budget. We review every project submission before it goes live; we may decline to publish a submission at our discretion, including where it is unclear, infeasible, or appears fraudulent.
### B.2 Selecting a Researcher
You are solely responsible for reviewing applicant Researchers and selecting who to assign to your project. Match scores, publication data, and citation counts shown on the Platform are provided to assist your decision and are drawn from data the Researcher has linked to their profile; we do not independently verify the accuracy of third-party academic data (see Part A.6).
### B.3 Payment and Escrow
Where our milestone payment feature is enabled for your project, the agreed project budget is held securely and released to the Researcher only upon your approval of the delivered milestone. Larger projects may be split into multiple milestones at your discretion.
ScholarsColab charges a service fee on projects facilitated through the Platform. The applicable fee will be communicated to you before you fund a project and may vary based on project scope; nothing in these Terms should be read as fixing a specific fee percentage.
### B.4 Off-Platform Circumvention
Contact details are not shared between Clients and Researchers (see Part A.5). Engaging a Researcher outside the Platform to avoid Platform fees, after being introduced through ScholarsColab, is a violation of these Terms.
### B.5 Disputes
If a disagreement arises between you and an assigned Researcher regarding delivered work, ScholarsColab’s Research Project Manager (“RPM”) assigned to your project will review the matter, including relevant chat history, and act as arbitrator. **The RPM’s decision on the matter is final.**
Where a dispute requires legal escalation beyond the RPM’s arbitration, this will be arranged separately via a call with our legal team, and a separate fee may apply.
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## Part C — Terms for Research Mentors (Project-Based Work)
This Part applies to Researchers who apply to and deliver work on Client-posted projects through the Platform, as distinct from Research Contributors who upload pre-made simulations for sale (Part D).
### C.1 Applying to Projects
You may apply to any open project matching your research area. By applying, you represent that the profile information you have provided — including your publication record and any linked academic profiles — is accurate.
### C.2 Delivering Work
If assigned to a project, you agree to deliver work that meets the agreed brief and deadline. Payment is released upon the Client’s approval of each milestone, as described in Part B.3.
### C.3 Communication
You agree not to solicit or share contact details with a Client through the Platform (see Part A.5). Communication regarding an active or prospective project must remain within the Platform’s chat feature.
### C.4 Disputes
Disputes regarding delivered work are subject to RPM arbitration as described in Part B.5, whose decision is final. You agree to cooperate with the RPM’s review, including providing any information reasonably requested to resolve the dispute.
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## Part D — Terms for Research Contributors (Simulation Code Marketplace)
This Part governs the relationship between ScholarsColab and Research Contributors who upload research simulations to be sold as digital products on the Platform.
### D.1 Registration
To become a Research Contributor, you must complete the registration process, provide accurate information, and agree to these Terms. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.
### D.2 Uploading and Selling Research Simulations
**Ownership and License.** By uploading a research simulation to the Platform, you affirm that you own all rights to it, or have obtained all necessary permissions to upload, sell, and license it. You grant ScholarsColab a worldwide, non-exclusive license to distribute, promote, and sell the research simulation on the Platform.
**Setting Prices.** You are solely responsible for setting the price of your research simulation. The price must be clearly stated at the time of upload and may be adjusted at any time. ScholarsColab remains the regulatory authority over the store and may suggest or require a price change based on market analysis.
### D.3 Fees and Payment Terms
**Fees.** ScholarsColab charges a fee on each sale of a research simulation. The fee percentage is determined based on the complexity of the simulation and mutual agreement between you and ScholarsColab, and is deducted from the sale proceeds before disbursement.
**Payment Disbursement.** Payments to Research Contributors are made **[weekly/monthly — confirm before publishing]** via **[payment method, e.g., bank transfer, PayPal — confirm before publishing]**. The amount disbursed is the net sale proceeds after deducting ScholarsColab’s fee.
### D.4 Quality, Compliance, and Support
You are responsible for ensuring your research simulation is of high quality, free from defects, and compliant with all applicable laws and regulations. You agree to provide **7 days of technical assistance** to any Buyer who purchases your simulation. ScholarsColab may remove any simulation that it determines, at its sole discretion, violates these Terms or falls short of an acceptable quality standard.
**Exclusivity of upload.** Research code uploaded to ScholarsColab must not be uploaded elsewhere, and must not itself be copied from another platform. Violations may result in removal, account termination, and other action ScholarsColab deems necessary.
### D.5 Intellectual Property
You retain all intellectual property rights to your research simulations, subject to the license granted in D.2. You agree not to upload simulations that infringe the intellectual property rights of others.
### D.6 Buyer Terms
By purchasing a research simulation, a Buyer receives a license to use it for the purposes described at the point of sale. Buyers are entitled to 7 days of technical assistance from the Research Contributor, as described in D.4. Any refund or return terms applicable to digital purchases are set out in our Refund Policy.
### D.7 Termination
ScholarsColab reserves the right to suspend or terminate a Research Contributor’s account and access to the Platform at any time, without notice, for conduct that violates these Terms, for prolonged inactivity, or for any other reason ScholarsColab, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.
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## Part E — Webinars
### E.1 Registration
Registering for a webinar requires accurate contact information so we can send joining details, reminders, and (where applicable) post-event recording access.
### E.2 Delivery
Some webinars may be delivered through a third-party platform (such as Zoom or Google Meet). Your use of that platform during the session is also subject to that provider’s own terms.
### E.3 Recordings
Where a webinar is recorded, ScholarsColab may make the recording available to registrants or the wider Platform audience. By attending a webinar, you consent to being included in any resulting recording, except where a session is specifically designated as not recorded.
### E.4 Payment and Refunds
Any fee for a paid webinar is stated at the point of registration. Refund eligibility, if any, is set out in our Refund Policy or at the point of registration for that specific session.
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## Part F — Blog and User-Generated Content
### F.1 Comments
You may submit comments on blog posts. By doing so, you grant ScholarsColab a non-exclusive license to display and moderate that comment on the Platform. Comments must not be defamatory, unlawful, or infringe the rights of others (see Part A.4); we reserve the right to remove any comment at our discretion.
### F.2 Reviews and Ratings
Reviews and ratings submitted for a Researcher’s profile must reflect a genuine experience with that Researcher and must not contain content prohibited under Part A.4.
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## Contact Information
For any questions regarding these Terms, please contact us at:
**Email:** support@scholarscolab.com
**Website:** scholarscolab.com
