Terms & Conditions

Welcome to the Kernel Masters Family!

We are pleased to have you join us. From the moment you enroll, our relationship is a lifelong partnership focused on technical support and growth. To ensure a rewarding experience for both you and Kernel Masters, we require every student to carefully read, understand, and acknowledge these Terms & Conditions before joining our programs.

This NDA policy is effective from: 01-MAY-2025.

1. Confidentiality & Intellectual Property

   1. Your e-learning management system credentials (GitLab) are confidential and must not be shared with anyone.
   2. All course materials (notes, documentation, source code, exam papers, presentations, software) are the intellectual property of Kernel Masters and are protected by copyright.
   3. Course materials are for your personal learning only. Any sharing, editing, or distribution—whether commercial or non-commercial—including uploading to websites, blogs, or sharing with non-Kernel Masters members—is strictly prohibited. Violations will result in legal action, denial of class access without refund, and further disciplinary measures.

2. Fees, Discounts & Hardware

   1. Once fees are paid, no refund or reduction will be given if you discontinue the course for any reason.
   2. If you opt out or withdraw during the course, you are liable to pay the full course fee, which can be recovered by the institute.
   3. Your course fee is valid for 6 months from your admission date, as specified in your admission form. You must complete your course within this period.
   4. After the course fee expiry date, you can only continue the course after making a new payment.
   5. Discounts or offers apply only to the final installment.
   6. If you qualify for a free hardware board offer, you must choose one of the following options:
      • Clear the complete course fee before receiving the hardware board; or
      • Pay for the hardware board separately and deduct its cost from your remaining course fee.

3. Deferred Payment (Post-Placement/Pay After Placement)

   1. The total course fee may vary depending on the academic year.
   2. Discounted amounts are deferred, not waived, and must be paid at the Success Meet prior to joining your job.
   3. As a security measure, you are required to submit three blank cheques on or before the specified date. These cheques will be returned once the deferred amount has been fully paid.

4. Leave & Penalty Structure

   • You are allowed up to 2 leaves per month.
   • For each extra leave: ₹400 per day. For half-day absence: ₹200.
   • Missing a seminar or mock interview: ₹1,000 penalty per absence.

5. Mobile Phone Policy

   1. Personal mobile phones, electronic gadgets, and bags are not allowed in classrooms and must be kept in the designated area. Kernel Masters is not responsible for loss of personal belongings.
   2. Bringing a phone into a restricted area will result in a ₹1,000 penalty per incident.

6. Admission Validity & Course Duration

   • Your admission is valid for 6 months from the date of enrollment. You must complete all coursework, projects, and exams within this period.

7. Attendance & Punctuality

   1. Strictly follow class and lab timings. Late entry may disturb the class, and repeated lateness may result in denied entry to avoid disruption.
   2. All students must use a laptop that meets Kernel Masters’ specifications.
   3. Class and lab schedules may be changed as needed by management.
   4. Students must be flexible regarding changes or extensions in class timings if required.

8. Conduct & Discipline

   1. Any form of misbehavior or malpractice during classes, labs, or exams is strictly prohibited and may lead to cancellation of admission without refund.
   2. Personal items must be stored in designated areas; the institute is not responsible for any loss.
   3. Parents or guardians will be notified if a student is absent for more than 5 consecutive days, is frequently absent, arrives late regularly, skips labs, fails to complete assignments or assessments, or displays misbehavior.

9. Blended Learning Structure

   • 30% recorded videos (prerequisites/build-up)
   • 30% classroom sessions
   • 40% hands-on lab practice
   • Recorded content is proprietary and used only within secure classroom settings.

   Recorded Videos:

   1. Prerequisite topics are covered through recorded videos and theoretical sessions.
   2. Recorded videos may be played in the classroom. After each session, the instructor will summarize the content and answer questions.
   3. Some videos may be assigned for home viewing before a new topic, to help students gain familiarity. This allows students to review complex topics multiple times.
   4. All videos are recorded during live classroom teaching. They are not available to outsiders and remain the property of Kernel Masters.

10. Complaints & Feedback

    1. All complaints must be discussed first with management in a positive manner. Management is always available to provide solutions.
    2. Students must not form groups or discuss topics that harm the reputation or benefit of the institute. Violation will result in denied access to classes without refund.

11. Communication Channels

    1. Kernel Masters creates WhatsApp groups to communicate class timings, technical updates, and placement information. These are private groups, and students are added after accepting these Terms & Conditions.
    2. Students must not misuse the contact information of fellow students in any way. Misbehavior may lead to legal action.

12. Equipment Use

    1. Institute resources—including hardware, infrastructure, and systems—are for training use only.
    2. Students must pay a fine for any damage caused to institute property.
    3. Students must bring their own laptops for lab practice. Laptop or hardware sharing is not allowed.

13. Placement Eligibility & Participation

    1. The Placement Program at Kernel Masters is a transparent process, monitored by the Kernel Masters Placement Assistance Program (KMPAP). Students are selected by companies based solely on their technical and personal abilities during the hiring process.
    2. KMPAP eligibility requires:
       • Full fee payment
       • Minimum 90% attendance
       • Minimum 60% performance in assessments
       • Attendance at all events (seminars, mock interviews, practice tests, assessments) with good performance
       • Positive conduct with no academic backlogs
       • Attendance in class at the institute until successfully placed
    3. Students will continue to receive placement opportunities until placed, as long as they follow placement policies and their admission is valid. There is no limit on the number of opportunities.
    4. Kernel Masters has the right to shortlist candidates for placements based on performance. Students cannot demand placement opportunities without demonstrating readiness in Kernel Masters evaluations.
    5. Companies may shortlist candidates based on various factors, including academic percentages, year of graduation, and college/university. These decisions depend on company policies. Kernel Masters is not responsible if a candidate is not shortlisted due to such criteria.
    6. Kernel Masters always strives to support every candidate in placement drives, regardless of company criteria. However, we must comply with company HR policies if they are inflexible.
    7. Candidates will be removed from the placement program if they miss any placement drive without prior notice and proper reason.
    8. Candidates will receive access to KMPAP portal links once placements begin. They must update their information in these links regularly.
    9. If a student receives an offer from a company through Kernel Masters placement assistance, they are prohibited from attending further placements at Kernel Masters, regardless of whether they accept the offer.
    10. Placements may begin before course completion. Candidates must attend and complete the course in parallel with placement activities and are required to attend classes at the institute until placed.
    11. If a candidate is placed before course completion, they must complete the course within their timeline. Online access will be granted if the student is placed outside Hyderabad. No refunds are given for the unfinished part of the course.
    12. Eligibility for placement does not guarantee placement. We do not guarantee a job but do guarantee placement opportunities.
    13. Simply paying course fees does not entitle a student to placement.
    14. Students must be ready to attempt all placement drives for which they are eligible, regardless of salary, location, or other factors. Kernel Masters is not responsible if a candidate is not placed due to not attending all opportunities offered.
    15. If any student chooses not to attend a drive for which they are eligible, it will still be counted as an opportunity given.

14. Internet Usage Policy at Kernel Masters

    • Kernel Masters encourages independent learning and technical skill development. Relying on online sources (e.g., ChatGPT, Gmail) to copy programming solutions hinders your learning, affects your confidence, and impacts your placement prospects.

    Internet Usage Rules:

    1. No internet access is allowed during lab assignments and assessments. This encourages independent problem-solving.
    2. If you require internet access for installing or upgrading software tools, Kernel Masters will provide a temporary internet connection until the task is complete.
    3. For additional research, you must complete your lab assignments and read the relevant e-books first, then seek permission from the lab coordinator for further internet use.

15. Completion Certification

    1. A course completion certificate will be provided only to those who complete the entire course and project, complete all exit formalities (final exams, company offer letters, reviews, pay-after-placement fees), and attend until the last working day as announced by management.
    2. No certificate will be given to students who quit midway or lose access due to violations described above.
    3. The course completion certificate will include your grade, based on your assessment performance. Grade changes are not entertained.
    • Kernel Masters is not responsible for course completion in cases of:
    • Low attendance, irregular lab attendance, or incomplete lab work
    • Incomplete project work, part-time jobs, job trials in other domains before completing the course, attending other parallel courses, etc.
    • Discontinuing the course without proper reason and information
    • Discontinuing the course after placement

16. Health & Safety (Including COVID‑19)

    1. Follow all required health guidelines (use of masks, sanitizer, social distancing, etc.).
    2. Do not attend in-person classes if you are unwell.
    3. Classes may shift online during positive cases or as directed by government authorities, without any fee adjustment.

17. General Disclaimer

    1. Any violations related to conduct, attendance, lab work, or malpractice may result in termination of training and loss of fees and certificates.
    2. Maintain cleanliness and proper behavior in classrooms, labs, and throughout Kernel Masters premises, which is a residential area. Avoid causing any disturbance or nuisance.
    3. If you withdraw from the course for any reason, you must inform management in advance to request access in another batch. Readmission is at the sole discretion of management and not a student right; it depends on your attitude, behavior, and communication.
    4. No video backups are provided. Students are not entitled to backup classes for absences. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to catch up with the help of lab instructors, discuss doubts with instructors, and complete all missed assignments.
    5. Students new to embedded systems are expected not to work in any other domain while studying at Kernel Masters, as this may affect your attendance, lab practice, performance, and placement prospects.

NOTE:

• These Terms & Conditions apply for the entire duration of both online and offline classes. Any misbehavior with fellow students during or after class is a punishable offense.
• Not following any of these Terms & Conditions may lead to discontinuation of your course without any fee reimbursement or certificate.