3. Acceptance of the Terms
By any of the following actions, you acknowledge that these Terms apply to your relationship with DScholar to the extent relevant:
- Booking a consultation;
- Requesting a proposal;
- Accepting a proposal;
- Signing a Consultancy Agreement;
- Purchasing a Service;
- Making a payment;
- Creating a client account;
- Accessing the Client Dashboard;
- Accessing an e-Workspace;
- Providing project information;
- Instructing DScholar to commence work;
- Receiving project deliverables; or
- Otherwise engaging DScholar for Services.
If you do not agree to the applicable Terms, you should not purchase or use the Services.
4. Definitions
For purposes of these Terms:
“Client”
Means the person, organization, institution, company, researcher, professional, or other entity purchasing or receiving Services from DScholar.
“Company”
Means DScholar Research Consultancy and Analytics (OPC) Private Limited.
“Consultant”
Means a consultant, researcher, analyst, specialist, professional, employee, contractor, or other person engaged or assigned by DScholar to perform Services.
“Client Data”
Means information, documents, datasets, records, files, research materials, personal information, confidential information, or other material supplied by or on behalf of the Client.
“Deliverables”
Means the specific outputs expressly agreed to be supplied by DScholar under the applicable proposal, agreement, statement of work, or other written arrangement.
“Services”
Means the consultancy, research, analytics, publication-support, career-guidance, data, professional, technical, or other services agreed between DScholar and the Client.
“e-Workspace”
Means an online project workspace or communication facility provided to a Client where applicable.
5. Consultancy Process
DScholar generally follows a structured consultancy process:
Step 1 — Free Online Consultation: The Client discusses their requirements with DScholar.
Step 2 — Proposal: DScholar may provide a project-specific proposal.
Step 3 — Consultancy Agreement: Where the Client accepts the engagement, the parties may execute a Consultancy Agreement.
Step 4 — Payment: The Client makes payment according to the applicable agreement.
Step 5 — Project Commencement: DScholar begins work after the applicable requirements have been completed.
Step 6 — Review and Revision: The Client reviews the submitted work and provides feedback within the agreed scope.
Step 7 — Final Handover: DScholar provides the agreed final Deliverables and, where applicable, a project completion certificate.
Step 8 — Final Feedback: The Client may provide feedback concerning the Services.
This process may vary according to the nature of the project.
6. Free Consultation
DScholar may offer a free initial online consultation.
The free consultation is intended to understand:
- The Client's requirements;
- Project objectives;
- Scope;
- Expected outcomes;
- Technical requirements;
- Potential methodology;
- Estimated timeline; and
- Suitability of the project for DScholar.
The free consultation does not:
- Guarantee acceptance of the project;
- Guarantee availability of a Consultant;
- Guarantee a particular outcome;
- Constitute a completed consultancy service;
- Create an obligation to purchase Services; or
- Automatically create a Consultancy Agreement.
DScholar may decline a project where it determines that the project is unsuitable, outside its expertise, unavailable due to resource constraints, inconsistent with Company policies, or otherwise inappropriate to undertake.
7. Project Proposal
Following consultation, DScholar may issue a written proposal.
The proposal may specify:
- Scope of Services;
- Deliverables;
- Methodology;
- Estimated timeline;
- Consultancy fee;
- Payment schedule;
- Client responsibilities;
- Revision terms;
- Communication arrangements;
- Assumptions;
- Exclusions; and
- Other project-specific conditions.
A proposal is not necessarily a binding contract until accepted in accordance with the Company's contracting process. A proposal may expire after the period stated in it.
8. Consultancy Agreement
For applicable engagements, the Services shall be governed by a Consultancy Agreement executed between DScholar and the Client.
The Consultancy Agreement may contain provisions concerning scope, fees, payment, deliverables, timelines, confidentiality, data protection, intellectual property, revisions, client obligations, termination, liability, dispute resolution, and other project-specific matters.
The Client is responsible for reading the Consultancy Agreement before signing it.
9 & 10. Scope of Services & No Implied Services
Scope of Services: DScholar shall provide the Services described in the applicable agreement or proposal. DScholar is not obligated to perform work outside the agreed scope unless the additional work is expressly accepted by the Company. Requests for additional work may result in additional fees, revised timelines, a supplemental agreement, a revised proposal, or a new Statement of Work.
No Implied Services: Only Services expressly included in the applicable agreement or proposal shall be considered part of the engagement. The Client shall not assume that DScholar is obligated to provide additional services merely because those services may be related to the project (e.g., additional analyses, datasets, literature searches, manuscripts, journal submissions, consultations, or revisions).
11 & 12. Consultancy Fees & Consultant Availability
Consultancy Fees: DScholar does not maintain one universal fixed consultancy fee for all projects. Fees depend on project complexity, scope, data requirements, methodology, technical requirements, expertise, project duration, deliverables, urgency, and other factors.
Consultant Availability: DScholar's ability to accept a project depends upon the availability of Consultants with appropriate expertise. The Company does not guarantee that a particular Consultant will always be available and may assign, replace, or reassign Consultants as reasonably necessary.
13–16. Payments, Online Facilities & Taxes
Payment Obligations: The Client agrees to pay fees according to the payment schedule stated in the agreement, proposal, or invoice. Failure to pay on time may result in suspension or delay of Services.
Online Facilities: Online payments are facilitated through SureCart, with processing via PayPal and Razorpay. DScholar does not control independent provider authorization, fraud screening, or currency conversion.
Payment Confirmation: Payment is treated as received when successfully confirmed through the system or verified by DScholar. Pending or unverified transactions do not constitute confirmed payment.
Taxes & Charges: Applicable taxes, bank charges, or transaction costs will be separately reflected in invoices where applicable.
17–20. Client Account, Security & e-Workspace
Account & Security: Clients can register an account on DSCHOLARRESEARCH.COM to access the Dashboard, orders, and payment records. Clients are responsible for maintaining credential security and must notify DScholar immediately if unauthorized access is suspected.
e-Workspace: Where applicable, DScholar provides an online e-Workspace for project communications, file sharing, and updates. The e-Workspace must be used strictly for legitimate project purposes.
21 & 22. Client Responsibilities & Data
Clients agree to provide accurate, lawful, and timely datasets, feedback, and approvals. The Client guarantees it holds legal authority to supply Client Data and must not provide materials that violate third-party rights, privacy laws, or contractual restrictions.
23–26. Data Protection, Confidentiality & Disclosures
Data Protection & Confidentiality: DScholar implements reasonable safeguards to protect Client Data and respects client confidentiality. DScholar does not sell Client Data or publicly disclose project materials without authorization.
Exclusions & Legal Disclosures: Confidentiality does not apply to publicly available data, independently developed information, or mandatory disclosures required by law, court orders, or regulatory authorities.
27–29. Intellectual Property & Third-Party Materials
DScholar retains ownership of pre-existing IP, methodologies, templates, and tools. Client retains rights in Client-owned materials. Deliverables usage rights are governed by the Consultancy Agreement. Use of third-party software, datasets, or APIs remains subject to external licensing terms.
30–33. Ethics, Integrity, Data Collection & Analytics
Research Integrity: Clients are responsible for ethical approvals and institutional clearances. DScholar will not engage in data fabrication, falsification, manipulation, or plagiarism.
Analytics Limitations: Analytical results depend on supplied data quality. DScholar does not guarantee specific statistical significance, hypothesis confirmation, or commercial success.
34–37. Publication, Career Services, AI & Outcomes
No Guarantees: Publication support and career guidance do not guarantee journal acceptance, employment, admission, visa approvals, or specific funding decisions. All final publication decisions rest with third-party publishers.
Use of AI: DScholar may utilize AI, statistical software, or automation systems under professional human review, though Clients remain responsible for reviewing final outputs prior to consequential use.
38–42. Client Review, Revisions & Delays
Clients are responsible for reviewing Deliverables within agreed timelines. Revisions apply only within the original contract scope. Client delays in providing feedback, payments, or materials will result in reasonable adjustments to estimated project timelines.
43–47. Communication, Scope Changes & Cancellations
Official communication occurs via designated channels (Email, WhatsApp, Dashboard, e-Workspace). Scope changes require written agreement and may incur additional fees. Cancellations and refunds are governed by the applicable Consultancy Agreement and Refund Policy.
48–51. Termination, Effect & Force Majeure
DScholar may terminate services for material breach, non-payment, fraud, or abusive conduct. Termination does not relieve payment obligations for completed work. Neither party is liable for delays caused by Force Majeure events (natural disasters, pandemics, internet/power outages, cyberattacks).
52–57. Tech Infrastructure & System IP
DScholar uses third-party services (SureCart, PayPal, Razorpay, hosting, cloud storage) and does not guarantee uninterrupted website/dashboard availability. Users must not attempt to reverse engineer, scrape, or unauthorizedly exploit DScholar's system code or databases.
58–60. Protection of Personnel & Conduct
Services are provided by personnel in their official capacity; claims should be directed against the Company rather than individuals personally. Clients must maintain respectful, professional communication and avoid harassment or abuse.
61–65. Indemnification, Liability Limits & Cap
Indemnification: Clients agree to indemnify DScholar against losses arising from terms violations, unlawful data, or third-party infringement.
Liability Cap: DScholar is not liable for indirect, consequential, or lost-profit damages. Aggregate liability is strictly limited to the total amount paid by the Client for the specific Service giving rise to the claim.
66–68. Disclaimers & Professional Effort
Services do not constitute legal, medical, financial, or tax advice. While DScholar applies reasonable professional effort, no unconditional warranty of specific research or academic results is provided unless explicitly agreed in writing.