Editorial Guidelines
At Sproutern, we're committed to providing accurate, helpful, and trustworthy career resources for students and professionals across India. These guidelines define our standards for all content on our platform.
My Personal Commitment to You
Let me tell you a story about why accuracy matters so much to me personally.
During my placement session, one of my friend used an online CGPA to percentage converter for my resume. The tool gave me 78.3%. I put it on every application. Three months later, during an HR interview at a major bank, the interviewer pulled out my college transcripts and said: "Your percentage here says 74.1%. Care to explain the discrepancy on your resume?"
I was mortified. It wasn't intentional fraud — I had trusted a website with wrong formulas. But in that moment, I looked dishonest. I didn't get that job.
That experience fundamentally shaped how I built Sproutern. When someone trusts our calculators, our salary data, our interview prep materials — that trust carries real consequences. A wrong number on a resume. A missed scholarship deadline. Bad career advice that sends someone down the wrong path.
That's why every formula on this platform is verified against official sources. That's why we update content quarterly. That's why I personally review user reports of errors. Because I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of wrong information, and I never want a student using Sproutern to experience what I did.
— Premkumar M, Founder
Our Core Principles
Accuracy First
Every piece of content is fact-checked against authoritative sources. We cite official government sources, academic institutions, and verified industry data.
Student-Centric
All content is created with Indian students and fresh graduates in mind. We understand the unique challenges of entering the job market in India.
Timely Updates
We review and update all content quarterly. Tax calculations, salary data, and university formulas are updated as regulations change.
No Misleading Information
We never make unverified claims. If data is unavailable, we clearly state so rather than provide potentially inaccurate information.
Content Review Process
Every piece of content goes through our rigorous multi-step review process before publication to ensure quality and accuracy.
Research & Drafting
Content is researched using primary sources including government publications, university guidelines, and industry reports. Our team drafts content following our style guide.
Expert Review
For technical content (tax calculations, CGPA conversions, salary data), we consult with subject matter experts including CAs, HR professionals, and academic advisors.
Editorial Review
Our editorial team reviews for accuracy, clarity, grammar, and adherence to our guidelines. Content must pass our quality checklist before publication.
User Feedback Integration
After publication, we monitor user feedback and comments. Valid corrections are made promptly, and major updates are noted with revision dates.
Standards by Content Type
Career Guides & Articles
- Minimum 1,500 words for comprehensive guides
- Actionable tips backed by real-world examples
- Clear structure with headings and subheadings
- Updated within the last 12 months
Calculators & Tools
- Formulas verified against official sources
- Clear methodology documentation
- Regular testing for accuracy
- Privacy-first: no data stored
Internship Listings
- Company verification before approval
- Clear job descriptions required
- Compensation transparency
- Regular listing freshness checks
Blog Posts
- Unique, original content only
- SEO optimized but reader-first
- Author attribution on all posts
- Helpful, non-promotional tone
A Day in Content Review
I want to give you a behind-the-scenes look at how we actually verify content. This isn't a corporate process — it's what happens every day.
How We Verify a CGPA Formula
1We start by downloading the official examination regulations from the university website. For Anna University, this is the "Regulations 2021" PDF from their official portal.
2We locate the exact section describing the CGPA to percentage conversion. We screenshot this for our records.
3We implement the formula and test it with sample CGPAs. We then ask 2-3 students from that university to verify our calculation matches their official transcripts.
4Only after student verification do we push the calculator live. We note the regulation year and source document.
Content We've Rejected
To give you an idea of our standards, here are real examples of content we've rejected and why:
Rejected: Interview experience submission
"A student submitted an interview experience for Amazon that was clearly copy-pasted from Glassdoor. The formatting was identical and included details that didn't match Amazon's current hiring process. We asked for clarification; they didn't respond."
Rejected: Salary data submission
"Someone submitted salary data for TCS claiming ₹12 LPA for freshers. TCS's standard fresher CTC is around ₹3-4 LPA. When we asked for verification (offer letter screenshot), they couldn't provide it. This was likely someone trying to inflate perceived salaries."
Rejected: Blog post pitch
"A marketing agency offered to write 'SEO-optimized career content' for a fee. We only publish content written by people with actual experience in the topic — not paid placements or generic SEO content."
About AI-Generated Content
Let me be transparent: We do use AI tools in our workflow. Here's exactly how:
Grammar and clarity: AI helps check grammar and suggest clearer phrasing. A human always reviews these suggestions.
Code for tools: AI assists in writing calculator code, but formulas are always verified against official sources.
Research assistance: AI helps gather initial information, but all facts are verified through primary sources.
What AI doesn't do: AI never writes final content without human review. All personal stories, interview experiences, and advice come from real humans.
Corrections & Updates Policy
Quarterly Reviews
All content is reviewed every 3 months for accuracy and relevance.
Immediate Corrections
Factual errors are corrected immediately upon discovery with update notes.
Transparent Changes
Major updates include "Last Updated" dates and change summaries.
Author Expertise & Credentials
Sproutern's content is created and reviewed by a team with expertise in:
Our Team Includes:
- Career counselors with 5+ years experience
- HR professionals from top companies
- IIT/NIT/IIM alumni mentors
- Startup founders and tech professionals
External Reviewers:
- Chartered Accountants for tax content
- University professors for academic content
- Industry recruiters for job market insights
- Legal experts for compliance content
All content is authored or reviewed by our team, led by founder Premkumar M, an IT graduate from MIT Chennai with expertise in technology and entrepreneurship.
Report Content Issues
Found an error? Have feedback about our content? We take accuracy seriously and appreciate corrections from our community.
Last reviewed and updated: December 2025