Three filters, in order

We do not publish reviews instantly. Between submission and appearance on a school profile, three steps run:

1. OTP-based identity check (instant)

The reviewer enters a phone number, receives a one-time password, enters it back. The account is bound to the phone for life. This is the only step that requires reviewer action — the rest is automated or editorial.

2. Automated content filter (under 30 seconds)

The submission runs through a rules-based scan looking for:

  • Personally identifiable information. Phone numbers, email IDs, full names of students or teachers — not the principal's public-facing name, but specific staff or peer names.
  • Slurs, threats, or content that violates Indian content law.
  • Boilerplate text or phrases known from spam batches.
  • Submission patterns. Five reviews from the same IP in 10 minutes is a signal, even if the content reads fine.

Pass means it moves to step 3. Fail means a human looks at it.

3. Human editorial pass (under 24 hours, usually faster)

Trained moderators (we have a team of four) eyeball every flagged review. They also sample 10% of clean reviews — a quality check on the automated filter.

The moderator's options: publish as-is, request a clarification from the reviewer (rare, only for ambiguous claims), or reject with a reason category (PII, slur, off-topic, suspected fraud).

What we do not do

  • We do not edit reviews. A typo stays a typo. A grammar quirk stays a grammar quirk. The parent's voice stays the parent's voice.
  • We do not show schools a review before publication. Schools do not get to negotiate the wording or rate-down the rating. Their right is to flag a published review for factual error, after the fact.
  • We do not take review-suppression payments. A school that asks "what would it cost to remove a 1-star?" is told the only path is the appeals process.

The appeal process

Either side can appeal a moderation decision. A parent whose review was rejected can ask a senior editor to review the call. A school whose published review was flagged as factually wrong can submit evidence; we re-review within 5 business days.

Outcomes are visible: when we remove a published review, the listing shows the removal date and reason category. When we keep a published review despite a school's appeal, the listing shows that the review was challenged and upheld.

Why all this transparency

A review platform's only real asset is the trust that the rating means something. Trust is built by showing your work — not by claiming "verified" without saying what verified means.