Amazon to shut down online learning academy in India

BENGALURU: Amazon.com said on Thursday it would shut down its online learning platform for high-school students in India less than two years of its launch, without citing a reason.

The Amazon Academy platform, launched early last year amid a boom in virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, offered coaching for competitive exams including Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), which allows entry into top engineering colleges across India.

Based on an assessment, the e-commerce giant said in a statement that it had made the decision to discontinue Amazon Academy "in a phased manner to take care of current customers".

The winding down comes at a time when multiple edtech firms are reeling under the pressure of schools and coaching centres reopening across India after COVID-19-induced lockdowns.

Last month, industry leader Byju's had said it would lay off 2,500 employees as it pushes to turn profitable.

Other players Unacademy, Toppr, WhiteHat Jr, and Vedantu had also announced layoffs earlier this year, as per local media reports.