Unacademy has dismissed an instructor, Karan Sangwan, who encouraged students to support educated candidates. As the educational technology company stated, classrooms should not be used for expressing personal opinions and perspectives.

The Controversy Begins:

Expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s decision to replace the colonial-era IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act, Karan Sangwan expressed regret that all the study materials he had compiled on criminal laws became obsolete.

In a video now viral on X (formerly Twitter), Sangwan says. “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. It is hard work for everyone. You also got a job at your hand.”

“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.”

Who is Karan Sangwan?

As per his Unacademy profile, Karan Sangwan pursued his education at National Law University, Shimla. He held a position at C. R. Law College in Hisar for approximately a year. Beginning in February 2020, he took on the role of an educator at Unacademy, garnering a following of 14,000 on the platform. Sangwan is also the proprietor of a YouTube channel, Legal Pathshala, boasting over 45,000 subscribers. With an LL.M in Criminal Laws, he has conducted multiple courses pertaining to judiciary entrance examinations.

Mr Saini’s Reaction:

Roman Saini, the co-founder of Unacademy, stated that Sangwan had violated the ‘Code of Conduct,’ leading to the necessity for the company to sever ties with him.

In a tweet addressing the issue, Mr. Saini highlighted that Unacademy is a dedicated educational platform with a strong commitment to delivering high-quality education.

“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,” Mr Saini said.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s tweet:

In a communication shared on X, Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, conveyed the following message “Is it a crime to appeal to vote for educated people? 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.”

Y Sathish Reddy, the head of the Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation, also shared his thoughts 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.”

Sangwan initiated his own YouTube channel and revealed his intention to share information regarding the controversy on August 19th.