These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern participation in the Times Critical Thinking Championship (TCTC), an initiative of Times Foundation. By registering for, accessing, or participating in TCTC in any manner whatsoever, the participant, along with their parent or legal guardian (where applicable), is deemed to have read, understood, and unconditionally accepted these Terms in their entirety, including any amendments or modifications that may be made from time to time.
TCTC is open exclusively to students residing in India and enrolled in recognized educational institutions, including government, aided, and private schools, across all Boards, including State Boards. Participation is limited to students studying in Classes III to XII at the time of registration. As participants are minors, registration and participation shall be deemed to constitute the express consent of a parent or legal guardian, who agrees to the student’s participation across all stages of the competition, including any travel, public appearances, media-related activities, or other associated processes that may arise in connection with TCTC.
All registrations must be completed through the official TCTC platform within the prescribed timelines. Participants agree to provide accurate, complete, and verifiable information at all times. Times Foundation reserves the absolute and unfettered right to accept, reject, suspend, or cancel any registration or participation, at any stage, without assigning any reason whatsoever, including but not limited to cases involving incomplete information, suspected misrepresentation, ineligibility, or non-compliance with these Terms.
The structure of TCTC shall comprise multiple stages, including screening rounds, advanced assessments, semi-finals, and finals, conducted through online, offline, or hybrid modes, as may be determined by Times Foundation. The format, content, assessment design, evaluation methodology, timelines, venues, sequencing of stages, eligibility filters, advancement criteria, prizes, and related processes may be modified, altered, postponed, curtailed, rescheduled, or cancelled at the sole discretion of Times Foundation, without prior notice. Participants acknowledge and accept that such changes are integral to the administration of a large-scale national initiative and shall not give rise to any claim, challenge, or grievance of any nature.
Participants are responsible for ensuring access to appropriate devices, internet connectivity, electricity, software, permissions, and a suitable environment for participation, wherever required. Times Foundation shall not be responsible for any technical disruptions, connectivity issues, device failures, access limitations, software incompatibility, power outages, or other constraints at the participant’s end, and shall not be obligated to provide re-assessment opportunities, alternate scheduling, or any compensatory remedy in such cases.
All assessments shall be evaluated on parameters including, but not limited to, correctness, logical reasoning, clarity of expression, structured thinking, intellectual independence, and such additional criteria as Times Foundation may determine from time to time. The evaluation process may involve automated systems, human evaluators, external experts, internal reviewers, or any combination thereof. The decisions of Times Foundation and its appointed evaluators shall be final, binding, and non-contestable, and no correspondence, representation, review request, appeal, or challenge shall be entertained in this regard, except to the extent Times Foundation may, at its sole discretion, choose to review a matter administratively. Times Foundation reserves the right to review, revise, withhold, or nullify any result in the event of discrepancies, suspected misconduct, technical irregularity, process review, administrative consideration, or any other reason deemed relevant by it.
Participants are expected to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, discipline, and fairness. Any form of malpractice, including impersonation, plagiarism, collusion, cheating, use of unauthorized assistance, coaching during assessments, use of prohibited devices, or use of artificial intelligence tools, digital aids, or external support where expressly or implicitly prohibited, shall result in immediate disqualification or such other action as Times Foundation may deem fit. Times Foundation reserves the right to investigate such instances and to take appropriate action, including disqualification, cancellation of scores, withdrawal of awards, public correction of results, exclusion from future participation, or any other remedial or disciplinary measure.
By participating in TCTC, participants and their parents or guardians grant Times Foundation, and Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. (BCCL), a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free right to use, reproduce, publish, display, distribute, archive, adapt, edit, and communicate the participant’s name, likeness, photographs, videos, audio recordings, submissions, responses, school name, city, performance, and related materials, in any form of media, whether existing now or developed in the future, including print, digital, social media, audio-visual, and broadcast platforms, for purposes of promotion, publicity, reporting, documentation, archival, editorial, educational, or institutional communication. No compensation shall be payable for such usage, and participants and their parents or guardians waive any claim arising therefrom.
Participants further consent to receive communication from Times Foundation and/or its authorized representatives through electronic and non-electronic means, including email, telephone, messaging platforms, social media, and other modes of communication, for purposes related to TCTC, including updates, reminders, promotional material, instructions, announcements, clarification requests, event-related communication, and related outreach.
Prizes, awards, recognitions, certificates, titles, rankings, opportunities, and benefits associated with TCTC are subject to availability and the sole discretion of Times Foundation. Times Foundation reserves the right to modify, substitute, defer, split, withhold, or withdraw any prize, recognition, or award without prior notice and without assigning any reason. All prizes and recognitions are non-transferable and non-exchangeable. Any taxes, levies, duties, compliance obligations, documentation requirements, or statutory liabilities arising from the receipt of prizes or benefits shall be borne solely by the recipient or their parent or guardian, as applicable.
Participation in advanced stages, including the National Semi-Final and Final, may require travel to designated venues. While Times Foundation may, at its discretion, extend logistical or coordination support, participants and their parents or guardians acknowledge that they remain solely responsible for the participant’s personal safety, conduct, health, supervision, travel readiness, medical fitness, and well-being at all times. Times Foundation and BCCL shall not be liable for any injury, illness, accident, loss, delay, disruption, theft, damage, or other adverse event affecting any person or property arising during or in connection with participation in TCTC, travel related thereto, or presence at any venue.
Participants and their parents or legal guardians expressly agree to indemnify, defend, release, and hold harmless Times Foundation, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. (BCCL), and each of their respective parent entities, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, trustees, officers, directors, employees, consultants, agents, representatives, successors, and assigns, from and against any and all claims, proceedings, liabilities, losses, damages, judgments, penalties, costs, and expenses of whatsoever nature, including reasonable attorneys’ and legal fees, arising directly or indirectly out of or in connection with the participant’s registration, access, participation, conduct, travel, submissions, or presence in relation to TCTC, including any breach of these Terms or any applicable law.
Without prejudice to the foregoing, neither Times Foundation nor BCCL shall be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive loss or damage arising out of or in connection with TCTC, including but not limited to loss of opportunity, reputational harm, disappointment, non-selection, technical failure, cancellation, postponement, or any administrative or evaluative decision.
Times Foundation shall take reasonable measures to ensure the security and confidentiality of personal data collected; however, participants acknowledge that no system is completely secure and agree that neither Times Foundation nor BCCL shall be liable for any unauthorized access, loss, misuse, corruption, delay, or breach of data beyond their reasonable control.
Times Foundation shall not be held liable for any delay, interruption, suspension, modification, curtailment, or failure in the conduct of TCTC arising from events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, governmental actions, court orders, public health emergencies, civil disturbance, war, terrorism, technical failures, cyber incidents, platform outages, labour disruptions, force majeure events, or any other unforeseen circumstance.
Times Foundation reserves the absolute right to amend, modify, supplement, interpret, or update these Terms, as well as any aspect of TCTC, including its structure, timelines, eligibility, evaluation, prizes, logistics, and execution, at any time without prior notice. Continued participation, or continued access to any TCTC-related platform, communication, or process, shall be deemed acceptance of such changes.
Any dispute, difference, issue, or claim arising out of or in connection with TCTC shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in New Delhi, India, and shall be governed by the laws of India.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the final interpretation of these Terms, and all decisions relating to the administration, design, conduct, evaluation, progression, logistics, communication, publicity, outcomes, and dispute handling in relation to TCTC, shall vest exclusively with the Chief Functionary Officer, Times Foundation, whose decision shall be final, binding, conclusive, and non-appealable in all respects.
By registering for TCTC, participants and their parents or guardians acknowledge and agree that they have read, understood, and accepted these Terms in full.
