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Payment and Refund Policy

Effective Date: 26/02/2025

At Distance Connect ("the Platform"), we operate as a marketplace model, facilitating payments between mentees (students) and mentors (professionals). Mentors set their own prices for mentorship sessions, and Distance Connect acts as a secure payment intermediary, processing transactions and ensuring compliance with applicable financial regulations.

This Payment and Refund Policy outlines the terms governing payments, billing, refunds, cancellations, and disputes. By using Distance Connect, users agree to abide by this policy along with our Terms and Conditions.

1. Payment Structure on Distance Connect

1.1 Marketplace-Based Payments

  • Mentors set their own prices for mentorship sessions based on their expertise and experience.
  • Payment is collected in advance from mentees at the time of booking.
  • Distance Connect deducts a service commission (%) from the mentor's earnings before processing payouts.
  • Payments are securely processed via a third-party payment gateway that complies with PCI-DSS and RBI regulations.

2. Accepted Payment Methods

Distance Connect supports multiple payment options to ensure convenient and secure transactions:

  • Credit & Debit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, RuPay, American Express)
  • UPI & Digital Wallets (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, etc.)
  • Net Banking (Major Indian banks supported)
  • International Payments (For users outside India, subject to currency conversion fees)

All transactions are encrypted and securely processed through [Payment Gateway Name], ensuring compliance with Indian financial regulations.

3. Mentor Earnings & Payouts

3.1 Mentor Payment Structure

  • Mentors receive earnings after Distance Connect deducts its commission per session.
  • Payouts are processed weekly/monthly based on the agreed payout schedule.

3.2 Payment Processing Time

  • Payments are typically credited within 5-7 business days after the mentorship session is successfully completed.
  • Mentors are responsible for providing accurate bank details to avoid payout failures.

3.3 Taxes & Compliance

  • Mentors are responsible for declaring and paying applicable taxes on their earnings.
  • Distance Connect may deduct TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) in accordance with Indian tax laws.
  • International mentors may be subject to currency conversion fees and foreign exchange regulations.

4. Refund & Cancellation Policy

Refund requests are considered case-by-case, depending on session cancellations, mentor availability, and service quality.

4.1 Refund Eligibility

  • Mentor No-Show: If a mentor fails to attend the session, a full refund will be issued.
  • Session Canceled by Mentor: If a mentor cancels a session, the mentee is entitled to a full refund or session rescheduling.
  • Technical Issues: If a session is disrupted due to verified technical issues on Distance Connect's platform, a refund or reschedule may be offered.
  • Non-Refundable Cases:
    • If the mentee fails to attend the scheduled session.

4.2 Refund Process

  • Users must submit a refund request within 12 hours after the session.
  • Refunds will be processed within 5-10 business days after approval.
  • Refunds will be credited to the original payment method used.

5. Session Cancellation Policy

5.1 Mentee-Initiated Cancellations

  • If a mentee cancels a session at least 24 hours before the scheduled time, a full refund will be provided.
  • If canceled within 24 hours, the mentee will not be eligible for a refund.

5.2 Mentor-Initiated Cancellations

  • If a mentor cancels, the mentee can choose to reschedule or request a full refund.

6. Disputes & Chargebacks

  • If a payment dispute is raised with a bank (chargeback request), the user's Distance Connect account may be suspended until the issue is resolved.
  • Distance Connect reserves the right to reject refund claims in cases of fraud, abuse, or violation of platform policies.
  • Any disputes can be reported to support@distanceconnect.com for resolution.

7. Compliance with Indian & International Regulations

  • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Guidelines for online payments.
  • The Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (India).
  • Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) for International Payments.
  • GST Compliance for applicable taxation on mentorship earnings.

If required by law, Distance Connect may share transaction details with financial authorities for regulatory compliance.

8. Policy Amendments & Updates

  • Distance Connect reserves the right to update this Payment & Refund Policy periodically.
  • Users will be notified via email or platform notifications before major changes take effect.
  • Continued use of the platform after policy updates implies acceptance of the revised terms.

9. Contact & Support

For any payment or refund queries, contact our support team: