Will Byju's employees ever get their unpaid salaries? What CEO has to say

Byju CEO Byju Raveendran assures unpaid employees that salaries will be cleared 'not immediately, but eventually', as staff struggle with three months of unpaid wages and financial uncertainty

Byju Raveendran, the CEO and co-founder of the financially troubled edtech giant Byju’s, has reassured employees that their unpaid salaries for the past three months will be credited “eventually”. In a LinkedIn post earlier this week, Raveendran acknowledged his absence, sought forgiveness from employees, and addressed key allegations against him.

 

Meanwhile, the 45-year-old edtech entrepreneur dismissed accusations that his family made millions by selling company shares. Instead, he said that all the money was reinvested into Byju’s. 

 

 

He also called for a “thorough investigation” into alleged collusion and fraud involving Glas Trust, consultancy firm EY, and former resolution professional Pankaj Srivastava. According to Raveendran, these entities played a crucial role in the company’s downfall.

 

 

Despite insisting on his innocence and vowing to make a strong comeback, the former billionaire faced tough questions from employees who have been struggling without pay. Some also raised concerns over allegations that he fled to Dubai to escape legal troubles.

 

Byju’s staff demand unpaid salaries

 

One Byju’s employee, Kaushik Lade, questioned Raveendran in the comments section of his LinkedIn post, highlighting the dire situation faced by unpaid staff. “We hear your passion, but passion doesn’t pay our bills. While you speak of sacrifice, we — the employees who built BYJU’S — have been left stranded without salaries for three months,” Lade wrote.

 

He further pointed out that their Provident Fund (PF) contributions also remained unpaid. “We stood by this company, gave it our best, and now we are fighting just to survive. Please don’t let the people who made BYJU’S suffer in silence. Words inspire, but actions matter,” he said.

 

In response, Raveendran assured the Hyderabad-based employee that salaries would be paid, but not immediately. He emphasised that he was fighting not just for himself but for all his employees.

 

“Bills will be paid, comeback will be made, dues will be cleared. Not immediately, but eventually. I am not fighting for just myself. Till then, you have to rely on my words. Till then, you have my word,” Raveendran wrote.

 

The rise and fall of Byju’s 

Byju Raveendran’s journey from a small-town teacher to the founder of India’s most valuable edtech company is nothing short of extraordinary. Born in Kerala, he started as an engineer but soon found his true calling in teaching.

 

In 2011, he launched Byju’s, an online learning platform that quickly became a household name. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated its growth as schools shut down and students turned to online learning. The surge in demand helped Byju’s attract massive investments, making it India’s top edtech platform.

 

However, by 2023, cracks in the company’s foundation became evident. Reports of delayed salaries, unfulfilled refunds, aggressive sales tactics, and lack of financial transparency severely impacted its reputation. Regulatory scrutiny increased, and investors grew wary as the firm struggled to file its financial reports on time.