How Byju’s catches parents

Paranoia, aspiration, greed, FOMO—these are all prey the edtech beast hunts

This article is part of a series called Scam Season—a series where The Morning Context documents the unethical, unsafe and fraudulent aspects of tech businesses in India.

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Eighteen thousand rupees.

That’s what stood between the child’s present and the parents’ hope for a better future. It would be an investment—a bridge to the world outside the chawl. The parents wanted to give their child a shot at a better education, something they never had. They would happily give a limb away in exchange.

And yet, despite all their efforts, all they could arrange was Rs 1,500 (~$20). The bridge …

Author

Pradip K. Saha

Pradip is a co-founder at The Morning Context and leads our newsletters vertical. He has previously worked at The Ken as a staff writer, at Mint as an assistant features editor and the Deccan Chronicle as a copy editor. He works with a slew of expert newsletter writers across subjects and domains. His own writing spans the gig economy, farmers caught in the crossfire of technology, global warming and parents trapped in the edtech wave. Some of his best stories have come at the intersection of technology and human endeavour.

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pradip@mailtmc.com

Delhi