Beleaguered edtech giant Byju’s is under fire again—this time from netizens on Reddit—after its flagship learning app was delisted from the Google Play Store.
The removal, reportedly due to non-payment of dues to Amazon Web Services (AWS), has triggered a wave of scathing personal anecdotes from users, former employees, and disgruntled parents, many of whom say the company’s fall from grace was long overdue.
The Byju’s Learning App, which provided educational material for classes 4–12 and test prep for competitive exams like JEE, NEET, and IAS, is still available on Apple’s App Store. But the Android takedown has intensified the public backlash.
Tales From the Inside: Fear, Guilt, and Pressure to Sell
Among the most damning posts is one from a Reddit user who claimed to have worked in Byju’s sales team:
“We follow the tactic of instigating fear and selling the dream,” they said, describing how employees were instructed to emotionally manipulate parents.
“Everything was being profiled and recorded. For free account holders too. We’d use that data to shame parents into thinking their child was falling behind.”
This user alleged that cold calling, surveillance of app usage, and guilt-tripping were standard practices.
“Also they can track everything the child is doing on the app. Full data collection and surveillance. For example what time the child opens and uses the app, how much time they spend on each topic and subject. There are mini quizzes and stuff to measure what all areas they’re good, average and poor or weak at. Using this data the profiles are created including for the free account holders.”
Customer Service or Harassment?
One user recounted a disturbing call from a Byju’s representative:
“I was doing something important when I got a call. The guy got aggressive, asking if I was playing games. I was a kid. He later called my mom and started complaining. Thankfully, she defended me.”
“That day, I hoped Byju’s would ruin itself. And here we are now,” the user added.
‘Buried 6 Feet Under’ – Ex-Employees Vent
Another Redditor shared how their friend, once a sales employee at Byju’s, faced daily verbal abuse from managers and unrealistic targets.
“He left before the downfall, but the stories he told… I’m glad they’re going through a rough time. I hope they get buried 6 feet under and the world forgets they existed.”
A Fall Many Saw Coming
One user wrote: “I knew they’d fail when they started hiring BTech grads for high-pressure sales jobs in 2019. But this? This is worse than I imagined. They couldn’t even sell the company to anyone.”
A Cautionary Tale in the Edtech World
Byju’s, once the poster child of India’s booming edtech space, is now a case study in corporate downfall.
As one commenter grimly put it: “At this point a quick and easy death would be a great way to go. Unfortunately, Byju’s will die by a thousand cuts. We won’t even pay attention when it’s over.”
From issues and mass layoffs to lawsuits and now app takedowns, the unicorn that once soared is now in freefall, watched closely and criticised harshly by those it failed.