NCPCR summons BYJU'S CEO over allegations of malpractices, exploiting students

The BYJU's CEO Raveendran was summoned by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to appear in person on December 23. The BYJU'S CEO has been alleged of malpractice of hard selling and mis-selling of its courses for students. This action was taken by the commission based on a media report that BYJU'S was indulging in malpractices to lure parents to buy their courses for their children.

"As the Commission has come across a news article wherein it has been pointed out that the sales team of BYJU`S is indulging in malpractices to lure parents to buy their courses for their children. lt has also been mentioned in the news report that some customers have also claimed that they were exploited and deceived, and had put their savings and futures in jeopardy," the NCPCR said in a statement.

As per the commission, the news report also alleged that BYJU'S has been actively tricking customers to enter into loan-based agreements for courses which may not be refunded if customers wished to do so. The child right panel also said that parents have been complaining to the ed-tech platform but BYJU'S did not take any action against it. 

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"Under Section 14 of CPCR Act,2005, the Commission has all the powers of a Civil Court trying a suit under the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 and particular, in respect of the following matters- (a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath; (b) discovery and production of any document; (c) receiving evidence on affidavits; (d) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office; and (e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents," it said.

"The Commission is in observance that indulging into malpractices to lure the parents/children into entering loan-based agreements and then causing exploitation is against the welfare of children and in pursuance of the functions and powers under Section 13 and 14 of CPCR Act, 2005, the Commission requires you to appear in person before it along with the details of all the courses run by BYJU'S for children, the structure of these courses and the fee details, the number of students currently enrolled in each course, the refund policy of BYJU'S, the legal documents regarding the recognition of BYJU`S as a valid ed-tech company and all other relevant documents regarding the claims made in the news report at 1400 hours on 23.12.2022 to explain the discrepancies in relation to the said matter," it said.

It said that if Raveendran fails to comply with the order without a lawful excuse, he "will be subjected to the consequences of the non-attendance as provided in Rule 10 and Rule l2 of Order XVI of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908".