Upgrad Education Private Limited - educational fraud

I, Kritika, am filing this complaint against upGrad due to false promises made during admission, continuous negligence, mental harassment, threats, biased conduct by teachers, and an unsafe and unfair learning environment created after my enrollment.

At the time of admission, during counseling sessions conducted by upGrad, I was clearly informed that I would complete my first year online from India. I was explicitly assured that if I scored ** percent or above in the first year, upGrad would confirm my admission into the second year at a top-ranked university of my choice. During these discussions, Cornell University was specifically mentioned along with other top-ranked universities.

These statements were not presented as possibilities or assumptions. They were communicated to me as confirmed and guaranteed commitments. Trusting these assurances, I decided to enroll with upGrad and paid the full program fee.

However, after my admission was completed and payment was made, the communication and behavior of upGrad changed completely. When I sought clarification regarding the same commitments that were made before admission, I was informed that no such promises had ever been made. This denial was shocking and caused severe mental distress, as my decision to enroll was entirely based on those assurances.

When I raised a formal complaint regarding this contradiction, the Student Support Team repeatedly asked me to provide proof. I submitted all available screenshots, chat records, and email communications multiple times. Despite this, my complaint was not resolved and no clear decision was communicated. Instead, the matter was repeatedly delayed.

During this entire period, many of my emails and messages to the Student Support Team were ignored. I was forced to send repeated follow-ups to receive responses, and even then, the replies were generic and failed to address my concerns. This situation has continued for the last three to four months, during which I have been continuously mentally harassed by upGrad through inaction, delays, and lack of accountability.

The matter became more serious in the GGU Official Group, which is an official upGrad group moderated by teachers. In this group, my friend Nayan and I shared a post that we had found online. The purpose of sharing this post was only to seek clarification from upGrad and the teachers as to whether the information mentioned in it actually exists or not. Our intention was not to defame anyone or violate any rules, but purely to understand the reality of the claims being discussed.

Instead of providing clarification, the teachers removed both me and my friend Nayan from the official group without any proper explanation or warning.

During the same time, a learner in the group shared offensive content directed toward me and my friend, including content containing abusive elements and inappropriate emojis. This occurred openly in the presence of teachers and other learners. Despite this, no teacher intervened, objected, or warned the learner. On the contrary, the learner was indirectly supported.

When I reported this issue to the Student Support Team, I was informed that no action could be taken against the learner because the learner wished to continue studying with upGrad. This response was biased, disturbing, and unacceptable.

What is most concerning is that no action was taken against the learner who shared offensive content, while my friend and I, who only asked for clarification, were removed from the official group. This clearly shows victimization of affected students and protection of the wrongdoer, reflecting a serious failure in grievance redressal, student safety, and ethical responsibility.

After these events, the situation escalated further when upGrad-associated counselors attempted to pressure and threaten me and my friend Nayan. We were told to immediately delete the LinkedIn posts we had made regarding our experience with upGrad. We were warned that if we did not delete those posts, we could face serious problems in the future.

During this communication, the counselor stated words to the effect of, “You know what reputation means for a girl and a boy.” This statement was humiliating, intimidating, and clearly intended to threaten us and silence our complaints through fear and reputational pressure.

As a result of these actions, I have suffered severe financial loss, continuous mental and emotional distress, fear, humiliation, loss of valuable time, and serious disruption to my academic and future plans. Due to upGrad’s false promises, prolonged harassment, ignored complaints, biased handling of abuse, and threatening conduct, my trust in the institution has been completely destroyed.

I am therefore filing this complaint to formally record the injustice done to me and to seek appropriate relief and accountability.

Reliefs Sought

Immediate cancellation of my admission

Full refund of the fees paid by me

Appropriate monetary compensation for mental harassment, threats, humiliation, and academic loss