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Stop UpGrad's Fraudulent Practices – Protect Students from Misleading Education Scams!

Stop UpGrad's Fraudulent Practices – Protect Students from Misleading Education Scams!

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This petition has been created by Ansar B. and may not represent the views of the Avaaz community.
Ansar B.
started this petition to
Dharmendra Pradhan
Petition Summary:

We, the undersigned, call upon UpGrad, its investors, and its academic partners to address the deceptive practices and broken promises that negatively impact students’ academic and financial lives. UpGrad's aggressive sales tactics, misinformation regarding multiple programs, and lack of accountability in handling grievances have left many students in financial distress and wasted valuable time. We demand fair compensation, full transparency, and safeguards to protect future students.

Petition Details:

As victims of UpGrad’s various programs — ranging from business degrees to technical certifications — we share our stories to prevent others from facing similar hardships. Many students were misled by UpGrad’s assurances, leading to substantial financial burdens, loan denials, and unsuccessful visa applications due to inaccurate information and inadequate support.

Victim Stories:

My Experience with UpGrad and Golden Gate University:

I enrolled in UpGrad’s hybrid MSBA program in partnership with Golden Gate University (GGU) based on their promises of seamless admission, loan assistance, and visa support. UpGrad’s counsellors assured me that my previous visa refusal and academic gaps would not impact my chances, but these issues ultimately led to my visa rejection. Despite investing significant time and financial resources, I was left without proper guidance or accountability from UpGrad. I also faced challenges obtaining a refund for my tuition fees and additional expenses like SEVIS fees, visa costs, and associated losses. My repeated attempts to seek redressal were met with vague responses and empty assurances.

  1. Kiran Kumari's Experience: Kiran enrolled in UpGrad's program with the expectation of advancing her career. However, she faced significant challenges due to misleading information and lack of support, resulting in financial and emotional distress.

  2. Avi Singh's Experience: Avi shared his dissatisfaction with UpGrad, highlighting the company's unresponsive support and unmet promises, which led to a frustrating and disappointing learning experience.

  3. Prasad Dehury's Experience: Prasad voiced his concerns about UpGrad's mishandling of student guidance and unfulfilled promises. His struggles with visa processes, coupled with UpGrad's negligence, resulted in severe financial loss and wasted time.

  4. Chandrakant Singh's Experience: Chandrakant faced extensive delays, misinformation, and a lack of accountability from UpGrad, leaving him financially burdened and disheartened about his education.

  5. Sanika Walavalkar's Experience: Sanika warned others about UpGrad's misleading marketing tactics, sharing how her educational goals were disrupted due to false assurances and poor support.

  6. Mehul Maan's Experience: Mehul expressed his concerns regarding UpGrad's accountability, emphasizing the company's failure to deliver on its promises and the adverse effects on students' careers.

  7. Arun Bathini's Experience: Arun reported facing financial struggles and emotional stress due to UpGrad's failure to provide accurate guidance and support, impacting his academic progress.

  8. Krishnakumar Patil's Experience: Krishnakumar shared his frustrating experience with UpGrad's misleading UI/UX design course. Despite investing time and resources, he encountered inadequate support and broken promises.

There are 1000s of other victims of upgrad and its partner Universities or Institutions who are not posting their stories publicly, they threatened many students to remove their social media posts by filing baseless police complaints in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi police station.

Previous Criminal History of UpGrad:

UpGrad’s misconduct isn’t new. The company has a history of unethical practices, as reported in major news outlets:

  • Inc42 Report on UpGrad's INSOSFE Shutdown — Over 700 students were left stranded when UpGrad's INSOSFE abruptly shut down its AI/ML course.
    ( https://inc42.com/buzz/upgrads-insofe-leaves-700-students-fuming-abruptly-shuts-ai-ml-course/ )

  • Times of India Report on UpGrad Closure in Telangana — UpGrad's abrupt closure left hundreds of students with financial losses and educational setbacks.

    ( https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/ed-tech-firm-shuts-shop-in-telanganas-rangareddy-700-recruits-left-in-cold/articleshow/99597299.cms )

  • Times of India Report on Staff Demanding Loan Relief — UpGrad’s mismanagement led to widespread financial distress, with staff demanding relief.

    ( https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/will-repay-loans-says-ed-tech-firm-staff-demand-relief-in-hyderabad/articleshow/99624457.cms )

Key Issues Across UpGrad's Programs:

  • Misleading Admission Promises: UpGrad’s counsellors assured students that factors like academic gaps and past visa refusals would not impact their admission or loan eligibility. However, these factors ultimately proved to be major obstacles.

  • False Loan and Visa Guidance: UpGrad promised reliable loan support and visa assistance that ultimately fell through, leaving students stranded.

  • Misleading Course Content: Many students reported discrepancies between the advertised course content and the actual curriculum, reducing the program's value.

  • Lack of Accountability: Despite numerous complaints, UpGrad continues to deflect responsibility and has shown no commitment to resolving these issues fairly.

  • Inconsistent Compensation: While some students who spoke out publicly reportedly received 5x compensation, others have been ignored. This inconsistent treatment is unfair and unjust.

Our Demands:

  • Full Compensation for Affected Students: This includes tuition fees, SEVIS fees, visa processing costs, and fair compensation for lost time and financial struggles.

  • Transparent Admissions Process: UpGrad must provide clear and truthful information regarding risks such as visa and loan concerns.

  • Reliable Grievance Mechanism: UpGrad must establish a proper grievance system to ensure students receive prompt support and fair resolutions.

  • Public Apology: UpGrad and its academic partners must issue a formal apology to students for their negligence and false promises.

Why It Matters:


The future of education depends on trust and accountability. Without these values, students remain vulnerable to scams like UpGrad's manipulative tactics. We believe that UpGrad, GGU, and their investors owe it to their students to honour their promises and provide the education and support that was sold to them.

Please sign this petition to hold UpGrad and its partner universities accountable. Together, we can protect future students from falling victim to this scam.


#upgrad #upgradscam #upgrad_scam #scam #edtech #education #india
#justiceforstudents #stopupgradscam #accountabilityineducation
Posted (Updated )