BYJU’S Buying Phone Numbers Of Students & Parents, Threatening Them: NCPCR Chief

The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has alleged that edtech decacorn BYJU’S is purchasing databases, including phone numbers of children and their parents, to force them to buy courses.

NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo told news agency ANI that the child rights body will take action against BYJU’S and will send the government a report if needed.

“We came to know how BYJU’S (is) buying phone numbers of children and their parents, rigorously following them and threatening them that their future will be ruined. They’re targeting first-generation learners,” Kanoongo was quoted as saying.

Earlier this week, the NCPCR chairperson was cited in media reports as saying that the child rights body would seek ‘accountability’ from BYJU’S.

However, the edtech major has denied the allegations made by Kanoongo.

“BYJU’S strongly denies the allegation that it purchases students’ databases. We categorically state that we have never bought any database and expect that the media will refrain from making such a baseless and unsubstantiated allegation,” the edtech major said in a statement.

The edtech startup added that it does not need to buy student databases as it already has more than 150 Mn registered students on its platform. “We do not need to and we never make cold calls or unscheduled walk-in visits. We strongly refute any allegation that indicates otherwise,” the edtech major said.

The allegations from NCPCR come a few days after the child rights body summoned BYJU’s cofounder and CEO Byju Raveendran for the startup allegedly mis-selling its products and indulging in malpractices such as taking out loans in the parents’ name to buy BYJU’S courses.

Raveendran has till December 23 to appear before the commission and provide documentary evidence and information about the edtech major’s courses.

The summons from NCPCR comes after several media outlets reported on the alleged malpractices of the edtech major, primarily centred around the allegation that the edtech major forces parents to take out loans to finance their courses. The reports also alleged that BYJU’S representatives take out loans in the parents’ names themselves.

BYJU’S has had a year to forget as it was shrouded in controversy throughout 2022. From heavy losses to widespread layoffs across the group companies to signing now World Cup winner Lionel Messi as an ambassador, the startup has been in the news for the wrong reasons this year.