Terms of Service – Experts / Consultants

Effective Date: August 2026

These Terms govern participation of professionals ("Experts") on the Bharat2Business Platform.

By registering as an Expert, you agree to these Terms.

1. Eligibility & Verification

Experts must:

• Provide valid professional credentials
• Maintain required certifications (where applicable)
• Provide accurate identity and business details

Bharat2Business reserves the right to approve, reject, or remove Experts at its discretion.

1.1 What "Verified" Means

Where an Expert's profile displays a "Verified Expert" badge, this means Bharat2Business has, at the time of onboarding:

• Confirmed the Expert's identity against a government-issued ID (PAN and/or Aadhaar)
• Collected and retained a copy of the Expert's stated professional certifications, licenses, or registration documents

The "Verified" badge confirms identity and document submission only. It is not an endorsement, guarantee, or independent audit of the Expert's professional competence, the validity of their license with the issuing authority, or the quality of advice given. MSMEs are encouraged to independently satisfy themselves of an Expert's suitability for their specific needs. Bharat2Business will investigate and may remove any Expert found to have submitted fraudulent credentials.

2. Service Models

Experts may provide services under:

2.1 Standard Services

• Services listed under a standardized rate card
• Pricing determined by Bharat2Business
• Experts agree to provide such services at the fixed rate

Bharat2Business will deduct a standard commission percentage from each completed engagement.

2.2 Custom Services

Experts may:

• Quote custom pricing for non-standard services
• Communicate scope and deliverables clearly
• Receive payments via the Platform

A different commission percentage may apply to custom services, disclosed within the app.

3. Payment & Commission

• All payments must be processed through the Platform
• Commission percentages will be disclosed prior to service acceptance
• Payouts will be released after service completion confirmation

Bharat2Business may withhold payouts in cases of dispute or fraud investigation.

4. Professional Conduct

Experts agree to:

• Provide honest and lawful advice
• Avoid false guarantees
• Maintain confidentiality of MSME data
• Avoid off-platform solicitation
• Avoid conflicts of interest

Violation may result in suspension or permanent removal.

5. No Employment Relationship

Experts are independent contractors.

Nothing in these Terms creates:

• Employment
• Agency
• Partnership
• Joint venture

Experts are responsible for their own taxes and compliance.

6. Confidentiality

Experts must:

• Protect user data
• Use information only for service delivery
• Comply with DPDP Act, 2023

Unauthorized disclosure may result in legal action.

7. Intellectual Property

Experts retain ownership of their professional advice.

However, Bharat2Business may:

• Use anonymized engagement data for analytics
• Display expert profile information on the Platform

8. Suspension & Removal

We may suspend or remove Experts for:

• Breach of conduct
• Poor performance
• Repeated disputes
• Legal violations

Removal decisions are at our discretion.

9. Limitation of Liability

Bharat2Business is not liable for:

• Advice provided by Experts
• Disputes between Experts and MSMEs
• Loss of income or reputation

Total liability shall not exceed commissions earned in the preceding 12 months.

10. Indemnification

Experts agree to indemnify Bharat2Business for claims arising from:

• Professional negligence
• Misrepresentation
• Regulatory violations

11. Governing Law & Arbitration

These Terms are governed by the laws of India.

Disputes shall be resolved through:

• Good faith negotiation
• Binding arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996

Seat of arbitration: Pune, Maharashtra, India.

Questions about these terms? Contact us at legal@bharat2business.com.