Deloitte resigns as BYJU’S auditor, EdTech firm ropes in BDO for audit

Deloitte Haskins and Sells has resigned as auditor of BYJU’s three years prior to the expiry of its contract due to a long delay in the EdTech firms financial statement for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, the audit firm said in a regulatory filing. The EdTech firm BYJU’S separately announced that it has appointed BDO (MSKA & Associates) as its statutory auditors for the year commencing from the financial year 2022 for the next five years.

Deloitte said it frequently wrote to BYJU’S Managing Director Byju Raveendran with a copy to the board of directors but it has not been able to commence the audit as on date and hence decided to quit. “We have not been able to comment on the audit as on date. As a result, there will be a significant impact on our ability to plan, design, perform, and complete the audit in accordance with the applicable auditing standards. In view of the aforesaid, we are tendering our resignation as statutory auditors of the company with immediate effect,” Deloitte Haskins & Sells said in a letter to the BYJU’S board.

‘Did not receive any communication’

Deloitte has been working with BYJU’s since 2016 and it was re-appointed as statutory auditor of Think and Learn Private Limited, which operates under BYJU’S brand, for a five-year period starting April 1, 2020. “The financial statements of the company for the year ended March 31, 2022, are long delayed. In accordance with the Companies Act, 2013, the audited financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2022 were due to be laid before shareholders in the Annual General Meeting by September 30, 2022,” Deloitte said.

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The audit firm said that it had written an email to BYJU’S Managing Director Byju Raveendran with a copy to the board of directors on September 30, 2022, and November 5, 2022, and thereafter to the board on November 12, 2022, December 24, 2022, and a letter on March 29, 2023, for statutory audit for the year ended March 31, 2022.

The audit firm said that it did not receive any communication on the resolution of the audit report modifications for the financial year 2021 and the status of audit readiness of the financial statements and related documents for FY 2022.

BYJU’S audit process got delayed?

Sources privy to the development at BYJU’S on condition of anonymity said that the company’s audit process got delayed as it was waiting for a new chief financial officer to take charge. BYJU’S new group CFO Ajay Goel joined the company about a month ago and the company is now set to start the audit process from next week onwards.

“BDO’s experience as an auditor for BYJU’S subsidiaries ensures their familiarity with the organisations operations, enabling a streamlined completion of the group-level audit anticipated to be finalised in the upcoming quarter,” BYJU’S said. BDO will cover the holding company — Think and Learn Pvt Ltd, its material subsidiaries such as Aakash Education Services Limited as well as the overall group consolidated results.

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“This comprehensive audit coverage will provide a holistic view of BYJU’S financial performance and ensure transparency across the organisation,’ BYJU’S said. It said that the selection of BDO as BYJU’S auditors was finalised after a rigorous selection process by Goel.

“We have chosen BDO as our auditors with great confidence following a well-structured selection process. Their exceptional capabilities and expertise in providing audit services to globally diversified large-scale companies make them the perfect fit for our organisation. We are excited to collaborate with BDO to uphold the highest standards of financial scrutiny and accountability,” Goel said. BDO at present audits firms like ICICI, Cisco, IndusInd Bank etc and is considered to be among top five global audit firms in terms of turnover.

(With Agency inputs)