Unacademy, an edtech company, fired educator Karan Sangwan after he stoked controversy by urging students to support educated candidates rather than those “who only know changing names.” Sangwan broke the “Code of Conduct,” according to Unacademy co-founder Roman Saini, and as a result, the company had to fire him. In a tweet, Saini claimed that Unacademy is a platform for education that is devoted to providing top-notch instruction.
Unacademy’s Strict Guidelines on Educator Neutrality Collide with Controversial Video
“To do this we have in place a strict Code of Conduct for all our educators with the intention of ensuring that our learners have access to unbiased knowledge. Our learners are at the centre of everything we do. The classroom is not a place to share personal opinions and views as they can wrongly influence them. In the current situation, we were forced to part ways with Karan Sangwan as he was in breach of the Code of Conduct,” Saini said. Meanwhile, Sangwan declared that he would discuss the controversy’s specifics on his YouTube channel on August 19. “From the past few days, a video has been going viral due to which I am in controversy and because of that controversy my several students who are preparing for judicial services examinations are facing a lot of consequences. Along with them, I have to also face consequences,” Sangwan said.
Sangwan’s Video Urges Youth to Choose Educated Politicians
Sangwan was heard pleading with the youngsters in a video that has gone viral on X (previously Twitter) to vote for educated politicians. The teacher was reportedly talking about the recent measures that the BJP-led union government had introduced in the Lok Sabha to replace the Indian Evidence Act, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the IPC, all of which date back to the British era. Sangwan laments, “Even I don’t know whether to laugh or cry because I also have a lot of bare acts, caseloads, and notes that I had prepared.” He had produced a tonne of notes on criminal laws, which have now all become useless. Everyone has to work really hard. You now have a job as well. He further says, “But keep in mind one thing. Next time vote for someone who is well-educated so you don’t have to go through this (ordeal) again. Ok?” He adds, “Elect someone who is educated, who understands things. Don’t elect someone who only knows changing names. Make your decision properly.” While Sangwan avoided naming names, many on social media compared his comments to recent remarks made by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Delhi CM Challenges Firing Over Advocacy for Educated Politicians
In response to news of Sangwan’s dismissal, Kejriwal questioned whether urging people to vote for an educated candidate constituted a crime. “If someone is illiterate, personally I respect them. But public representatives cannot be illiterate. This is the era of science and technology. Illiterate public representatives can never build the modern India of 21st century,” the Delhi chief minister wrote on X. Supriya Shrinate, a spokeswoman for the Congress, criticised Unacademy and shared pictures of earlier tweets from Saini in which he praised demonetisation as a “surgical strike on corrupt people” and a selfie of Unacademy founder Gaurav Munjal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Those who cower under pressure and get bullied can never help nurture citizens who stand up against all odds to take on this world. Sad to see such spineless and weak people run an education platform,” Shrinate said. Y Sathish Reddy, chairman of Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation, also posted on X, “With all due respect to #Unacademy, it is highly inappropriate to suspend a teacher who simply requested not to vote for illiterates. They are liable for a proper explanation! #UninstallUnacademy.”
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