New Delhi: An emotional video posted on LinkedIn by a distressed employee of Byju’s has once again brought the embattled edtech company into the spotlight. In the heart-wrenching video, the employee, identified as Akansha Khemka, shares her ordeal, claiming that the company has been pressuring her to resign and accusing Byju of fraudulent practices towards both its employees and customers.
The video reveals Akansha Khemka, an Academic Specialist at Byju’s for the past 1.5 years, expressing her desperate situation. She states that she is the sole breadwinner for her family and that the company has not fully compensated her for her work. According to her, the variables and earned leaves remain unpaid, and she received a letter urging her immediate resignation.
“My husband is ill, I’m the only one in the family who makes money, and I have loans to pay back. If they don’t give my income, how will I survive?” Akansha pleads in the video, seeking help from the authorities and imploring them to address the toxic work culture prevailing at Byju’s.
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Her distressing video emerges amidst a series of issues plaguing the once-promising edtech startup. Byju’s has faced challenging times for several months, dealing with raids and significant layoffs. The situation escalated when the founder, Byju Raveendran, was reportedly seen sobbing in public over corporate troubles.
Apart from the recent financial crime-fighting agency’s raid, the company encountered further setbacks, such as missing the deadline for filing its financial records. Additionally, Byju is facing lawsuits from US-based investors who accuse the company of concealing a significant amount, amounting to $500 million.
The firm’s journey once hailed as a remarkable transformation from a private instructor to the head of a $22 billion entity, captivated global investors like Sequoia Capital, Blackstone Inc., and Mark Zuckerberg’s foundation. During the pandemic, Byju’s dominance in the Indian EdTech industry seemed unstoppable.
However, recent events have put a dent in the company’s reputation and raised serious concerns about its internal practices. The emotional plea from Akansha Khemka serves as a powerful reminder of the human impact of such corporate upheavals. As the video gains traction on social media, it shines a spotlight on the challenges faced by employees and the company’s overall state.
