Edtech startup under scanner

Apropos of ‘Byju’s in hot water’; it is not surprising that financial mismanagement and governance-related issues have come to the fore. But as investors like Prosus, General Atlantic and Sofina and shareholders such as Owl Ventures attempt to oust Byju Raveendran as the CEO and remove his wife and brother from the board, it is obvious that Raveendran would not take things lying down. The stage is set for a long legal battle as he tries to remain at the helm of the edtech firm, which was once valued at $22 billion. He has already written a letter to his employees and mentioned that only 35 of the 170 shareholders had voted in favour of the resolution. However, this episode has dented the company’s reputation. And since the firm is also under the ED scanner for an alleged violation of FEMA, the public will see startups and edtech firms with suspicion now.

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Bal Govind, Noida

Commercialisation of education

Refer to the editorial ‘Byju’s in hot water’; the mushrooming of online educational platforms such as Byju’s came as a ray of hope for students during the Covid times. But as the years passed, it turned into merely a money-minting business. It is this soaring greed that has led to the edtech company’s decline. The commercialisation of education has always defeated the real purpose of the sector: to raise students to become good citizens and enhance their knowledge. When the main objective of an academic organisation is to make profit, it ceases to serve the cause of education.

Rupinder Kaur, Ambala Cantt

CBSE’s OBE plan welcome

The CBSE’s open book exam (OBE) plan for classes IX to XII is welcome. The move will help make exams less stressful and more student-friendly. However, since the current system lays emphasis on learning and memorisation, many students may find it hard to adapt to the new style at first. However, adopting a more subjective way of assessing the pupils’ knowledge will be a step in the right direction. Further, it is imperative that teachers undergo proper training to evaluate the open board exam sheets. If teachers fail to learn how to grade properly, the OBE system might come a cropper. But with some comprehensive strategies to train both students and teachers, the OBE can prove to be exceptionally beneficial for the youth in the long run.

Pratibha Sharma, Chandigarh

Invest more in healthcare

With reference to the article ‘A developed country must have a robust healthcare system’; the piece presents undeniable facts on the need for improving healthcare in the country. No country can develop while allowing a big chunk of its population to be mired in poverty, ill health and illiteracy. It is unfortunate that successive governments have failed to address these crucial sectors. To cover up the lapses, health insurance schemes are introduced, which again address the needs of private healthcare institutions and insurance companies. Hospitals are reeling under staff crunch and a shortage of medicines, beds and funds. It is high time the health sector was given its due importance and investment.

AG Rajmohan, Anantapur (AP)

US needs younger leaders

Refer to the news report ‘Trump beats Haley in her home state primary’; by defeating Republican opponent Nikki Haley in her state of South Carolina, former US President Donald Trump has been successful in eclipsing one primary challenger after another. The 2024 US presidential race is set to be a rematch between Trump and Joe Biden, who are 77 and 81 years old, respectively. Both candidates have faced a lot of scrutiny over their old age. A superpower like the US needs younger leaders to steer the country in the right direction.

Saurav Suman, Patna

Vindication for Indian diplomacy

With reference to the article ‘War has tested Indian diplomacy’s mettle’; when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out two years ago, India faced a lot of international pressure to condemn Russia, but it was reluctant to do so. Two years on, it is clear that New Delhi was right to take a neutral stand on the conflict. Russia is an old and tested friend of India, after all. That Russia’s economy grew by 3.6 per cent last year — a rate higher than that of the US and Europe — shows what was long predicted: that Western sanctions on Moscow would prove futile.

Vinay Kumar Malhotra, Ambala Cantt

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