BYJU's faces another trouble: Child rights body summons CEO over 'malpractice'
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) issued a summons on December 16 to the CEO of BYJU’s, Byju Raveendran, after taking note of allegations that the company is indulging in malpractices by luring parents and children to the ed-tech platform.
According to media reports, there has been a slew of complaints against the ed-tech company on social media platforms and other websites, with parents alleging that they had been forced to get into loan-based agreements.
‘Actively tricking customers’
The report also mentioned that BYJU’s has been ‘actively tricking’ customers to enter into loan-based agreements for courses which may not be refunded if the customer wished to do so. The company had reportedly not taken any action in response to several complaints from parents.
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“The Commission is in observance that indulging into malpractices to lure the parents or 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,” NCPCR said.
“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 particularly, 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.
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Raveendran to appear in person on December 23
NCPCR has asked Byju Raveendran to appear in person before the Commission on December 23 over the alleged malpractice of hard-selling and mis-selling its courses to children.
Raveendran will have to produce “details of all the courses run by BYJU’s for children, the structure of these courses and the fees 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 media report”.
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The apex child rights body also warned that if BYJU’s CEO fails to comply with the order, he will be subjected to the consequences of non-attendance.
