Sumit Jain has resigned from his role as cofounder and CEO of the test-prep business at Unacademy ahead of the company’s proposed merger with upGrad, founded by Ronnie Screwvala.
The leadership transition comes as Unacademy and upGrad have already filed for merger approval with the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
Sumit Jain to Continue as Advisor
According to an internal communication shared by Gaurav Munjal, Jain’s last working day in a full-time operational role will be June 30, after which he will continue supporting the company in an advisory capacity.
Munjal described Jain as a long-time collaborator and close friend who played a key role in building important parts of Unacademy’s business ecosystem.
He stated that Jain helped strengthen two major pillars of the company:
- Scaling the creator-focused platform Graphy
- Improving profitability in Unacademy’s offline business operations
Journey from Startup Founder to Unacademy Executive
Sumit Jain joined Unacademy in 2020 following the acquisition of his startup, Opentalk.
Before that, he was widely known as the cofounder of CommonFloor, one of India’s early proptech startups.
Interestingly, CommonFloor had earlier acquired Gaurav Munjal’s first startup, Flatchat, in 2016, creating a long-standing professional relationship between the two founders.
Role in Building Graphy
At Unacademy, Jain later led Graphy, the company’s SaaS platform built for creators, educators, and digital communities.
Under his leadership:
- Graphy expanded its creator tools ecosystem
- The company acquired Spayee
- Graphy and Spayee operations were integrated
- The platform reportedly achieved profitable growth
Munjal noted in his internal memo that these efforts significantly contributed to Unacademy Group’s growth trajectory.
Led Profitability Push in Test Prep Business
In September 2025, Jain was appointed CEO of Unacademy’s core test preparation business.
At the time, the company emphasized his focus on:
- Improving financial discipline
- Strengthening unit economics
- Enhancing product quality for learners
- Driving operational efficiency
Jain also played a role in restructuring Unacademy’s offline operations by transitioning many centers toward a franchise-led model.
Merger with upGrad Gains Attention
The resignation comes during a critical period for Unacademy as discussions around its merger with upGrad continue to progress.
The proposed deal is expected to reshape India’s edtech landscape by combining:
- Online learning platforms
- Test-prep services
- Higher education programs
- Enterprise learning solutions
Both companies have been focusing on improving profitability and operational sustainability amid a broader slowdown in India’s edtech sector.
India’s Edtech Industry Undergoing Consolidation
The development reflects a larger trend across the Indian edtech ecosystem, where companies are increasingly prioritizing:
- Sustainable growth
- Operational efficiency
- Strategic mergers
- Profitability over aggressive expansion
Following the pandemic-driven boom, many edtech startups have shifted focus toward:
✔ Cost optimization
✔ Core business performance
✔ Enterprise learning models
✔ Hybrid education strategies
Leadership Changes Continue Across Edtech Sector
Leadership transitions and restructuring have become increasingly common in India’s technology and education startup ecosystem as companies adapt to changing market conditions and investor expectations.
Industry analysts believe the Unacademy-upGrad merger could become one of the most significant consolidation moves in the Indian edtech market.
Conclusion
With Sumit Jain stepping down from his operational role, Unacademy enters another important transition phase ahead of its proposed merger with upGrad.
Jain’s contributions across Graphy, SaaS integration, offline profitability, and test-prep operations played a major role in shaping Unacademy’s business strategy over the past few years.
As India’s edtech market matures, consolidation, operational discipline, and long-term sustainability are increasingly becoming central themes for leading education technology companies.
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Ruchi Kumar is the associate editor at Entrepreneur News Network and TVW News India, where she leads editorial strategy, brand storytelling, and startup ecosystem coverage. With a strong focus on innovation, business, and marketing insights, he curates impactful narratives that spotlight India’s evolving entrepreneurial landscape. She has written extensively on fintech, AI and emerging startups.