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REFUND AND CANCELLATION POLICY

Effective Date: July 2026

This Refund and Cancellation Policy forms an integral part of the Terms & Conditions governing participation in the CFAC National Arts Olympiad.

The Olympiad is organised and administered by the CFAC National Arts Olympiad Executive Council ("CNAOEC"), an independent executive body constituted for the conduct and management of the National Arts Olympiad. The Contemporary Foundation for Art and Craft ("CFAC") is the parent not-for-profit organisation supporting the initiative. Unless specifically stated otherwise, all operational, financial and administrative matters relating to registrations, refunds and cancellations shall be handled by CNAOEC.

By submitting a registration through the official portal, the participant, parent/legal guardian, Olympiad Centre or authorised representative acknowledges that they have read, understood and agreed to this Refund and Cancellation Policy.

1. Definitions

For the purposes of this Policy, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Application ID" means the unique registration number generated upon successful completion of the registration process.

"Applicable Law" means all applicable laws, rules, regulations and governmental notifications in force in India, including the Indian Contract Act, 1872, Consumer Protection Act, 2019, Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, as amended from time to time.

"CFAC" means the Contemporary Foundation for Art and Craft, the parent not-for-profit organisation supporting the National Arts Olympiad.

"CNAOEC" means the CFAC National Arts Olympiad Executive Council, the independent executive body responsible for organising, administering and managing the National Arts Olympiad.

"Olympiad Entry Pass" or "Entry Pass" means the official participation document generated by CNAOEC after successful registration.

"Force Majeure Event" means any circumstance beyond the reasonable control of CNAOEC, including natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics, governmental restrictions, civil disturbances, strikes, war, cyber incidents, failure of public utilities or any similar unforeseen event affecting the conduct of the Olympiad.

"Participant" includes the registered student and, where applicable, the Parent/Legal Guardian acting on the student's behalf.

"Registration Fee" means the amount payable for participation in the Olympiad as published on the official Platform.

2. General Refund Policy

CNAOEC endeavours to provide a transparent and efficient registration process for all participants.

Unless expressly provided otherwise under this Policy or required by Applicable Law, the Registration Fee paid through the official Platform shall ordinarily be non-refundable, non-transferable and non-adjustable after successful processing of the registration.

This policy is based on the fact that substantial administrative, technological, verification and operational costs are incurred immediately after successful registration, including participant verification, allocation of resources, issuance of Entry Passes, scheduling, and examination administration.

Accordingly, refund requests shall ordinarily not be entertained merely because:

  • the Participant is unable to attend the Olympiad;
  • the Participant voluntarily withdraws from participation;
  • the Participant changes their decision after registration;
  • the Participant experiences medical or personal circumstances preventing participation;
  • the Participant fails to submit the required artwork or performance within the prescribed timeline; or
  • technical issues arise solely due to the Participant's own internet connectivity, hardware, software, browser configuration or power supply.

Nothing contained in this Policy shall restrict any refund or remedy that may be required under Applicable Law.

3. Refund Exceptions

Notwithstanding Clause 2, CNAOEC may process a refund in the following limited circumstances after verification:

3.1 Duplicate Payment

Where multiple successful payments have been made unintentionally for the same Participant and the same registration due to a payment gateway error, network failure or other technical malfunction, the excess amount received may be refunded to the original payment source after verification.

3.2 Successful Payment Without Registration

Where the Registration Fee has been successfully debited from the payer's account but no Application ID or registration confirmation has been generated due to a verified technical failure of the official Platform, CNAOEC may process the refund or, where feasible, complete the registration after confirmation from the payment gateway.

3.3 Cancellation by CNAOEC

Where the Olympiad is cancelled by CNAOEC without any alternative examination date being offered, refunds shall be processed in accordance with Clause 6 of this Policy.

4. Verification Procedure for Refund Requests

Before processing any refund request, CNAOEC may require the applicant to furnish reasonable supporting documents, including:

  • Transaction ID;
  • UPI Reference Number;
  • Bank Transaction Reference;
  • Payment Screenshot;
  • Official Bank Statement; or
  • any other document reasonably required for verification.

CNAOEC shall endeavour to complete verification within a reasonable period after receipt of all necessary documents.

Where the refund request is found to be genuine, the approved refund shall ordinarily be credited to the original mode of payment within 7–14 Business Days after completion of the verification process, subject to the processing timelines of the concerned banking institution or payment service provider.

5. Voluntary Cancellation and Withdrawal

5.1 Withdrawal by Individual Participants

A Participant may voluntarily discontinue participation in the Olympiad at any time before the completion of the applicable examination cycle.

Voluntary withdrawal may include, without limitation:

  • choosing not to participate in the examination;
  • choosing not to upload the required artwork or performance;
  • failure to complete any stage of the Olympiad within the prescribed timelines; or
  • communicating an intention to withdraw from participation.

Unless otherwise required under Applicable Law or expressly provided in this Policy, voluntary withdrawal shall not entitle the Participant to any refund, adjustment, credit, transfer of registration, or deferment to a future Olympiad cycle.

5.2 Withdrawal by Olympiad Centres

A registered Olympiad Centre may withdraw its association with the Olympiad by providing written notice to CNAOEC before commencement of its scheduled Olympiad execution window.

Such withdrawal shall not affect the rights of already registered Participants. CNAOEC may, at its discretion and where operationally feasible, transfer affected Participants to another authorised Olympiad Centre or permit participation through an alternative examination mode.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, withdrawal by an Olympiad Centre shall not create any entitlement to claim refund of any Registration Fee already paid by Participants.

6. Disqualification and Consequences

CNAOEC may reject, suspend or disqualify a Participant or an Olympiad Centre after following a fair verification process where there is credible evidence of violation of the applicable rules, including but not limited to:

  • submission of forged or misleading identity documents;
  • impersonation or fraudulent registration;
  • plagiarism or submission of non-original work;
  • copyright infringement;
  • examination malpractice;
  • violation of the published Olympiad Rules;
  • misuse of the official Platform; or
  • any conduct materially affecting the fairness or integrity of the Olympiad.

Where a Participant or Olympiad Centre is disqualified for any of the above reasons, CNAOEC may:

  • cancel the concerned registration;
  • withhold results, certificates or awards;
  • suspend future participation; and
  • decline any refund request, subject always to Applicable Law.

Nothing contained herein shall prevent CNAOEC from taking any additional action available under Applicable Law.

7. Postponement, Rescheduling and Cancellation by CNAOEC

CNAOEC may postpone, reschedule or modify the Olympiad schedule where reasonably necessary due to:

  • Force Majeure Events;
  • governmental directions;
  • public health emergencies;
  • technical failures materially affecting the conduct of the Olympiad;
  • cybersecurity incidents;
  • operational requirements; or
  • any other circumstance beyond the reasonable control of CNAOEC.

Where the Olympiad is postponed or rescheduled:

  • all valid registrations shall ordinarily remain valid for the revised schedule;
  • Participants shall be notified through the official website, registered email, mobile application or other official communication channels; and
  • such postponement shall not, by itself, create an automatic right to a refund.

7.1 Cancellation of the Olympiad

If CNAOEC permanently cancels the relevant Olympiad cycle and no alternative examination date or equivalent participation opportunity is offered within a reasonable period, eligible Participants may receive a refund.

Unless otherwise required by Applicable Law or specifically announced by CNAOEC, the refund shall ordinarily be limited to the Registration Fee actually paid through the official Platform, after excluding any statutory deductions or amounts that are legally non-refundable.

The exact amount refundable, if any, shall be communicated by CNAOEC through an official notification applicable to the concerned Olympiad cycle.

8. Limitation of Liability

CNAOEC adopts reasonable administrative, technical and organisational measures to facilitate secure registration, payment processing and refund administration. However, no electronic payment system or digital infrastructure can guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation.

To the fullest extent permitted under Applicable Law, CNAOEC shall not be responsible for losses arising solely from:

  • internet connectivity issues at the user's end;
  • device or browser incompatibility;
  • incorrect payment information submitted by the user;
  • banking network failures;
  • delays attributable to payment gateway providers;
  • Force Majeure Events; or
  • circumstances beyond the reasonable control of CNAOEC.

Nothing contained in this Policy excludes or limits any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under Applicable Law.

9. Third-Party Payment Service Providers

Payments made through the official Platform are processed by independent third-party payment service providers that comply with applicable regulatory and industry standards.

CNAOEC does not store or process complete payment card details, CVV numbers, UPI PINs or similar confidential payment credentials.

Although CNAOEC selects reputable payment partners, the functioning of such independent service providers remains outside the direct control of CNAOEC.

Accordingly, transaction failures, banking delays, payment gateway outages or technical interruptions attributable solely to such third-party providers shall be governed by the applicable policies of the respective provider, without prejudice to any rights available to users under Applicable Law.

10. Procedure for Raising Refund Requests

A person seeking a refund under Clause 4 shall submit a written request through the official support channel together with all reasonably necessary supporting documents.

The refund request should ordinarily include:

  • Application ID (where available);
  • Participant's Name;
  • Registered Mobile Number;
  • Registered Email Address;
  • Transaction ID or UPI Reference Number;
  • Date of Transaction;
  • Brief description of the payment issue; and
  • supporting documents reasonably required for verification.

Refund requests should preferably be submitted within seven (7) days from the date on which the payment issue first came to the knowledge of the applicant.

Delayed requests may also be considered where sufficient reasons are provided and verification remains reasonably possible.

11. Refund Processing Timeline

Upon receipt of all necessary documents, CNAOEC shall endeavour to complete verification within a reasonable period.

Where the refund request is approved, the eligible amount shall ordinarily be credited to the original payment instrument within 7 to 14 Business Days, subject to the processing timelines of the concerned bank or payment service provider.

CNAOEC shall not be responsible for delays occurring solely due to the internal processing systems of banks, card issuers or payment gateway providers.

12. Communication and Status Updates

CNAOEC may communicate with the applicant regarding refund requests through the registered email address, registered mobile number, official portal notifications or other authorised communication channels.

Applicants may be required to furnish additional information where reasonably necessary for verification. Failure to provide the requested information within a reasonable period may result in delay or closure of the refund request until the required information is received.

13. Grievance Redressal

Any grievance relating to payments, refunds or cancellations shall first be submitted to the Grievance Redressal & Legal Compliance Team (GRLCT) through the officially designated communication channels.

CNAOEC shall endeavour to acknowledge and examine genuine grievances within a reasonable period in accordance with its internal grievance mechanism and Applicable Law.

Nothing contained herein restricts any statutory remedies available to users under applicable law.

14. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Refund and Cancellation Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India.

The parties shall endeavour to resolve any dispute amicably through the grievance redressal mechanism provided under this Policy before initiating formal legal proceedings.

Subject to any mandatory requirements under Applicable Law, the courts having competent jurisdiction at Tripura, India, shall have exclusive jurisdiction over disputes arising out of or relating to this Policy.

15. Notices

Any notice, request, refund application or communication under this Policy shall be made through the official communication channels notified by CNAOEC.

Electronic communications sent through the registered email address, registered mobile number, official portal or other authorised communication channels shall constitute valid notice unless Applicable Law requires otherwise.

16. Severability

If any provision of this Refund and Cancellation Policy is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable by a court or competent authority, such provision shall, to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability, be deemed severed.

The remaining provisions shall continue to remain valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted under Applicable Law.

17. Entire Policy

This Refund and Cancellation Policy constitutes the complete policy governing refunds, cancellations and related financial matters concerning participation in the CFAC National Arts Olympiad.

It shall be read together with the applicable Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy and other official policies published by CNAOEC. In the event of any inconsistency, the document specifically governing the relevant subject matter shall prevail to the extent of such inconsistency.

18. Amendment and Version Control

CNAOEC reserves the right to amend, revise or update this Refund and Cancellation Policy from time to time in order to:

  • comply with changes in Applicable Law;
  • implement operational improvements;
  • address technological developments;
  • improve transparency; or
  • reflect changes in the administration of the Olympiad.

The revised version shall become effective from the date specified therein and shall supersede all previous versions unless expressly stated otherwise.

Users are encouraged to periodically review the latest version published on the official Platform.

19. Contact Information

For any refund-related queries, payment discrepancies, cancellation requests or grievances, users may contact:

Grievance Redressal & Legal Compliance Team (GRLCT)

Email: grievance.cnaoec@cfac.in

Helpline: 011 6926 9860

CNAOEC shall endeavour to respond to genuine payment-related queries within a reasonable period. However, response times may vary depending upon the complexity of the issue and the information required for verification.

Standard Organisational Clarification Clause (Applicable Across All Documents)

Organizational Structure & Responsibility: The Contemporary Foundation for Art and Craft (CFAC) is the parent non-profit organization established to promote art, culture, and education. The CFAC National Arts Olympiad Executive Council (CNAOEC) is an independent executive body constituted by CFAC solely for the purpose of planning, administering, managing, and conducting the CFAC National Arts Olympiad.

Accordingly, all registrations, examinations, evaluations, operational decisions, communications, financial transactions, grievance handling, and other activities relating to the National Arts Olympiad are administered by or under the authority of CNAOEC, unless expressly stated otherwise in the applicable policy or document. References to "CFAC", "CNAOEC", or "we/us/our" in these Terms shall be interpreted in the context of their respective roles and responsibilities under the applicable document.