Edtech platform BYJU’S on Wednesday denied allegations that it was aggressively reaching out to students and parents to sell its courses and warning them how their future might be at risk.
“We strongly deny any allegation of using aggressive sales tactics. We have 150 million registered users on our platform and we only respond to inbound queries. There is zero tolerance for abuse of customer privacy and collection of student data without parental consent,” a BYJU’S spokesperson told CNBCTV18.com.
The edtech’s statement came a day after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said it had learned that Byju's was allegedly purchasing the phone numbers of children and their parents and threatening them that their future would be destroyed if they do not buy its courses.
“We came to know how Byju's 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. We'll initiate action and if need be will make a report and write to the government,” NCPCR Chief told news agency ANI.
Replying to ANI’s Twitter’s thread, several users claimed edtech platforms have been making such marketing calls continuously using different mobile numbers and internet bulk messaging.
Meanwhile, the child rights body has summoned
BYJU's CEO Byju Raveendran over allegations that it is indulging in malpractices to lure parents and children to buy their courses.
BYJU's faces a range of complaints on social media platforms and consumer websites with customers alleging that they were exploited and deceived as they had to put their savings and futures in jeopardy.
"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 last week.
The Commission asked the company to appear in person before it along with the details of all the courses run by BYJU's for children, the structure of the courses and fee details, number of students currently enrolled in each course and the refund policy.
