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Physics Wallah Private Limited
Physics Wallah
Company typePrivate
IndustryEdtech
Founded2016; 8 years ago (2016) (as a YouTube channel)
2020; 4 years ago (2020) (as an ed-tech platform)
FoundersAlakh Panday
Prateek Maheshwari
HeadquartersA-13/5, Sector 62,
Noida
,
India
Number of locations
100+ (August 2023)
Area served
Worldwide
Products
  • PW App
  • PW Vidyapeeth
  • PW Pathshala
Subsidiaries
  • FreeCo
  • Prep Online
  • Altis Vortex
  • iNeuron
  • Etoos India
  • PW Skills
  • PW MedEd
  • PW Institute of Innovation
  • PW OnlyIAS
  • PW Store
  • Xylem Learning
  • Acadfly
Websitepw.live

Physics Wallah Private Limited (commonly known as Physics Wallah; or simply PW) is an Indian multinational educational technology company headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The company was founded by Alakh Panday in 2016 as a YouTube channel aimed at teaching the physics curriculum for the Joint Entrance Examinations (JEE). In 2020, Panday, along with his cofounder Prateek Maheshwari created the Physics Wallah app, which allowed students to access courses related to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). As of September 2024, the company is valued at around $2.8 billion.[1]

In March 2023, several teachers employed by the company alleged that the company had lost sight of its vision and started their own rival company called "Sankalp Bharat". Later the same year, a teacher employed by the company alleged that rival company Adda247 had tried to poach teachers away from Physics Wallah.

History

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Physics Wallah, or "PW", was founded in 2016 as a YouTube channel hosted by Alakh Pandey, an educator hailing from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The channel was initially focused on teaching the physics curriculum for the Joint Entrance Examinations (JEE), a popular entrance examination in India.[2] Due to Pandey's style of teaching[3] and the introduction of cheap mobile data connections in India during the same time,[2] the channel grew rapidly, reaching over 2 million followers in 2019.[4] In 2020, Pandey along with co-founder Prateek Maheshwari developed the Physics Wallah app.[3] The app was initially designed for students aspiring to take the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Exam (JEE)[5][6] and offered courses similar to those of competing companies at an affordable rate.[7] Over the next few years, Physics Wallah expanded their offerings by launching courses for other competitive exams.[8]

As of January 2023, the Physics Wallah app had been downloaded over 20 million times on the Android Play Store. The Physics Wallah YouTube channel amassed 9.73 million subscribers during the same period.[9] In June 2022, the company became a unicorn company after being valued at over $1.1 billion following its first funding round where it raised $100 million in funding from various venture capital firms.[10] During the same time, PW also launched its first offline center named Vidyapeeth in Kota, Rajasthan.[11][12] By November 2023, Physics Wallah had expanded to 67 offline centers in 34 cities across India.[13] However, in the same month, Physics Wallah laid off 150 employees, amounting to 0.8% of its workforce, citing performance reasons.[13]

In September 2024, the company raised $210 million in funding at $2.8 billion valuation.[14]

Controversies

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Allegations by teachers

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In March 2023, several teachers at the ed-tech company alleged that the vision of the company was being disillusioned and in response started an independent YouTube channel by the name, 'Sankalp Bharat'.[15][16] Through a video uploaded on the same YouTube channel, they delved into the reasons behind their departure from Physics Wallah, citing the company's atmosphere as the primary factor. Additionally, they alleged that students at the Kota center of Physics Wallah were not receiving an education that justified the tuition fees being charged.[17][16]

In response, a teacher of the company, Pankaj Sijariya, alleged in a video that the three ex-PW teachers – Tarun Kumar, Manish Dubey, and Sarvesh Dixit were offered Rs 5 crore each to resign from Physics Wallah and join the rival company, Adda247.[18] The three teachers, in a video claimed that Pankaj Sijairya accused them of accepting bribes from rival platform Adda247.[19] The company has refused to comment on the validity of the claims and in a statement to Business Today called the allegations a "distraction".[20]

Acquisitions and expansions

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In August 2022, Physics Wallah acquired FreeCo, a doubt-solving platform and marked it as their first acquisition.[21][22][23] Later the same year, Physics Wallah acquired multiple startups that focused on publishing books aimed at helping students prepare for various competitive exams.[24] Physics Wallah also acquired iNeuron from S. Chand Group during the same time.[25]In 2023, Physics Wallah acquired 50% stake from Xylem Learning a hybrid education platform in South India.[26]

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A 7-episode web series named Physics Wallah on the life of Alakh Pandey (portrayed by Shreedhar Dubey) and his company was released on 15 December 2022 on Amazon Mini TV. The series was created, directed and produced by Abhishek Dhandharia, under his production house, About Films.[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Pratap, Anushree. "Physics Wallah's valuation hits $2.8 billion, latest funding round brings $210 million". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b "The Unicorn Youtuber: Alakh Pandey". Entrepreneur. 11 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Here's how Physics Wallah solved the edtech riddle and is now aiming for growth". Business Today. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Work, Force, Energy & PhysicsWallah: Meet 'Robinhood' Pandey, And His Freshly Minted Edtech Unicorn". Forbes India. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  5. ^ Gupta, Aryaman (7 December 2022). "PhysicsWallah, the unassuming underdog among ed-tech firms in India". Business Standard.
  6. ^ Majumdar, Debleena (22 November 2022). "What does it take to create Bharat's education lab: The story of PhysicsWallah, building on trust". The Economic Times.
  7. ^ "Here's how Physics Wallah solved the edtech riddle and is now aiming for growth". Business Today. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  8. ^ "PW to revolutionize learning space for UPSC Aspirants launches UPSC Wallah". The Week. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  9. ^ Kumari, Ruchika (22 February 2023). "PhysicsWallah CEO Alakh Pandey started his career at the age of 22, check his education qualification and more". TimesNow. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  10. ^ Dilipkumar, Bhavya (7 June 2022). "Online learning platform Physics Wallah enters unicorn club with $100 million funding". The Economic Times. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  11. ^ "PhysicsWallah launches its first offline center in Kota". The Financial Express (India). 20 June 2022.
  12. ^ Pokharel, Shefali Anand and Krishna. "India's Edtech Startups Regroup as Pandemic Bonanza Fizzles". WSJ. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  13. ^ a b Roy, Supriya (19 November 2023). "Edtech startup Physics Wallah lays off 120 staffers after performance evaluation". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  14. ^ Mishra, Digbijay; Sharma, Samidha (20 September 2024). "PhysicsWallah closes $210 million funding round led by Hornbill Capital valuing it at $2.8 billion". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  15. ^ "All you need to know about Physics Wallah controversy as former teachers slam edtech giant in latest video". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  16. ^ a b "PhysicsWallah caught in controversy as ex-teachers cry on camera, deny charges of Rs 5 cr bribe". Business Today. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  17. ^ Livemint (26 March 2023). "Ex-Physics Wallah teachers cry on YouTube; netizens call 'pure entertainment'". mint. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  18. ^ "WestBridge-backed edtech cos PhysicsWallah and Adda247 at loggerheads over aggressive poaching". Moneycontrol. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Amid Allegations They Were Paid Rs 5 cr As Bribe, Ex-Physics Wallah Teachers Seen Crying On Camera". IndiaTimes. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  20. ^ "'We do not want distractions…': PhysicsWallah on former teachers' outburst row". Business Today. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  21. ^ Roy, Shubhobrota Dev (18 August 2022). "PhysicsWallah marks first acquisition after becoming unicorn". VCCircle. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  22. ^ Rawar, Aman (26 December 2022). "PhysicsWallah earmarks $40 million for M&As". mint. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  23. ^ Bhalla, Tarush (13 October 2022). "Physics Wallah makes two new acquisitions". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  24. ^ "PhysicsWallah makes acquisitions to foray into govt job prep, print books". Business Standard. Press Trust of India. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  25. ^ Kaushal, Bhavya (22 December 2022). "Physicswallah acquires ed-tech start-up iNeuron for Rs 13.8 crore from S Chand". Business Today (India). Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  26. ^ "Physics Wallah enters into strategic partnership with Xylem, plans Rs 500 crore investment". Moneycontrol. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  27. ^ Singh, Shubham (9 December 2022). "Amazon Mini TV unveils trailer of an upcoming show on unicorn Physics Wallah". Business Today (India).
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