PhysicsWallah Kota centre manager fired after scuffle between management and students

• ByStartupStory     |    February 23, 2023

Ed-tech platform PhysicsWallah on Tuesday fired the manager of one of its centres in Rajasthan after a video of a scuffle between the management and the students went viral.

In a statement, the company said, “Students are PhysicsWallah’s top priority and so the centre manager has been terminated with immediate effect.”

In the clip circulating on social media a man, presumably a member of the management, is seen pushing a student as others crowd around. According to sources, the student had raised a dispute at their Kota Centre regarding teacher quality.

The staffer shown in the video is believed to be part of the Student Welfare Society under the company’s HR and admin arm. Officials within this team are typically tasked with ensuring the safety of coaching staff and managing relationships with students and schools. 

Following the incident many on social media platforms have lashed out at the company for its handling of the situation. Many of the comments – purportedly from other PhysicsWallah students – allege similar issues with the management in the Kota centre.

“Do you pay to send your kids to expensive coaching classes like Physicswallah to have them beaten up ? This is what happens when education gets commercialised,” asserted one Twitter user.

Earlier this month the company had said that its revenue is expected to grow over 10-fold to ₹2,500 crore in 2023-24 – driven by expansion of business ranging from self-learning courses for class four to civil services preparatory exams in online and offline modes. While the edtech unicorn has opened several physical centres in recent days, its prime focus remains on supporting students learning through digital means.

PhysicsWallah had opened its centre in Kota in mid 2022. In June, the company raised $100 million at $1.1 billion valuation.

The news of the fight and the termination comes at a time when the company’s founder and CEO is gearing up to get married. Alakh Pandey will tie the knot with fiancee Shivani Dubey this month. The wedding will be followed by a grand reception at a luxury 5-star hotel in Delhi. The couple had announced their engagement in May 2022.

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