Policies
Terms, Privacy & Refund Policies
The policies below are intended to maintain clarity, fairness and mutual trust within the mentorship process.
Terms & Conditions
1. Copies shared for evaluation may be used by The Fifth Option for mentorship-related purposes, including discussion and illustration. Evaluated copies will not be published publicly without your prior consent.
2. Frameworks, notes, articles, evaluation techniques and any other material created and shared by The Fifth Option through mentorship remain its intellectual property and should not be publicly redistributed, reproduced or resold.
3. Students are expected to maintain payment discipline and complete payments within the agreed timelines.
4. Any disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Privacy Policy
Your personal details, responses and all 1:1 interactions will remain completely private. They will never be shared with anyone, nor will you be contacted outside your stated preference or without your consent.
Refund Policy — Answer Writing Mentorship
1. Refund Window
| Package | Refund Eligible Within | Submission Cap | Refund Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | 5 days of payment | Up to 10 answers, 0 essays | 75% |
| One-Time — Valid till Mains 2027 | 20 days of payment | Up to 30 answers, 1 essay | 75% |
| One-Time — Valid till Mains 2028 | 30 days of payment | Up to 30 answers, 2 essays | 75% |
Refund eligibility ends the moment either the day-limit or the submission-cap (answers or essays) is reached — whichever occurs earlier. No refund shall be applicable thereafter, regardless of days remaining in the window.
2. No Refund — Student-Side Exit
2.1 Once the refund window has passed, no refund shall be applicable for personal reasons. This includes but is not limited to:
- Switching to another exam, coaching, or mentor
- Dropping or pausing UPSC preparation
- Lack of time, motivation, or financial constraints post-enrolment
- Non-utilisation of evaluation support despite availability of service
3. Exceptional Circumstances — Mentor-Side Non-Delivery
3.1 Refund may be considered in exceptional situations involving mentor-side non-delivery, including failure to evaluate answer copies within 10 days of submission without prior communication.
3.2 Reasonable delays arising from medical emergencies or other unavoidable circumstances shall be exempted.
3.3 All refund-related claims shall be assessed based on actual records of submissions, communication and mentorship activity.
4. Consent
4.1 By enrolling and making payment, the student agrees to this policy in full.
Refund Policy — Comprehensive Mentorship
1. Trial Month
- Fee ₹2,000 — non-refundable.
- Intended to evaluate fit before full commitment.
- Enrolment is considered final after trial month.
2. Student-Side Exit
2.1 No refunds for personal reasons. This includes but is not limited to:
- Switching to another exam, coaching, or mentor
- Dropping or pausing UPSC preparation
- Lack of time, motivation, or financial constraints post-enrolment
- Non-utilisation of sessions, materials, or evaluations provided
3. Refund Eligibility
Refund considered only in case of mentor-side non-delivery, defined as:
- Missing 2 consecutive scheduled sessions without prior notice or rescheduling
- Failure to deliver promised content/material for 2 consecutive weeks without communication
- Failure to evaluate copies within 10 days without communication. Exceptions apply in cases of medical emergency or other unavoidable circumstances.
- All claims assessed based on actual records of sessions, communication and submissions
4. Refund Calculation
- Each month of participation valued at ₹3,000
- Refund = Amount Paid − (₹3,000 × months used)
- Partial month counted as full month
- Refund will not exceed amount paid
- If calculated value ≤ 0 → no refund applicable
| Month of Exit | e.g. Refund on ₹30,000 |
|---|---|
| Month 1 | ₹27,000 |
| Month 3 | ₹21,000 |
| Month 6 | ₹12,000 |
| Month 10 | ₹0 |
5. Payment Discipline
5.1 Missed payment without prior intimation → a 48 hour notice will be sent. If no payment or response is received within 48 hours, access will be paused.
5.2 Upon resumption of first contact (session, copy submission, or any communication), the missed payment must be cleared before services continue.
5.3 Unpaid dues carried forward for more than 30 days without communication will be treated as voluntary withdrawal.
5.4 No refunds for access paused due to non-payment.
6. Consent
6.1 By enrolling, the student agrees to this policy in full.
This journey isn't just yours — in a way, you carry my story forward too.
I've been on the other side. Paid upfront to a coaching centre, trapped with poor quality, no refund, no accountability. That experience is why I do this differently.
Every session 1:1. Every copy evaluated honestly. Fees kept fair. Refund if I fail you.
I believe if I genuinely add value to a mentee, they will bring me the next one. As long as I offer genuine service and don't break your trust, I'll be fine. I'd rather grow with you than at your expense. Word of mouth is what got me here, and it's what I'm betting on going forward.