Book Review 2024.02: The Learning Trap, How Byju’s Took Indian Edtech for a Ride, 236 pages, Paperback, 2023
This is one of the rare books on a business entity in India that is critical to the point of almost being an investigative report that not only accuses, but also elaborates and provides the basis on which the author has come to the conclusion. In terms of content and writing style it comes the closest to the 1998 publication, The Polyester Prince, The Rise of Dirubai Ambani by Hamish McDonald.
The author has skillfully woven in and explained economic, business, accounting and lead-generation & conversion concepts, that is invaluable to understand the “story” for the less acquainted, while at the same time not losing attention of the more knowledgeable reader. The history of commercial edtech industry provides an illuminating backdrop for the advent of Byju’s and its subsequent dominating influence on the edtech industry.
The lucid writing style used by the author enables him to effectively communicate very dry and abstract concepts that range from complex accounting concepts to law suits filed in the US courts to the lay reader. I believe this book could be a forerunner for may more business books to come in the days ahead, for it serves as a critical scrutiny of what is accepted and celebrated when the going is good, only for it to be blamed when adverse effects surface.
I commend this book to all entrepreneurs, senior professionals in startups, private investors, business watchers and especially management students, to see the stark reality of what would be when results are prioritized over the process, and where ethics slips below business exigencies in priority.
