The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has penalized a Coaching Institute ₹3 lakh for making misleading claims regarding their success rate in the UPSC Civil Service Examination (CSE) 2020. This action aims to protect consumers from deceptive advertising practices. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution issued a press release on this order on January 25, 2025.
The Misleading Advertisement
The coaching institute advertised that “10 in Top 10 selections in CSE 2020” came from their various programs. However, the ad did not disclose the specific courses taken by each successful candidate.
CCPA’s Findings
The coaching institute prominently displayed names and pictures of successful candidates. The ad only mentioned the course taken by the topper (GS Foundation Batch Classroom Student). Information about courses taken by the other nine was concealed.
CCPA’s investigation revealed:
- Only 1 of the remaining 9 took foundation courses.
- 6 took test series (Prelims and Mains).
- 2 took the Abhyaas test (prelims mock test).
The Foundation Course is the most expensive option (₹1,40,000) compared to the Abhyaas test (₹750).
Several candidates enrolled in Mains test series, implying they cleared the prelims and interview stages independently. Similar enrollment patterns were seen for Ranks 4, 6, 9 (Prelims or Abhyaas test).
CCPA’s Reasoning for Penalty
- The coaching institute ad created a misleading impression that all ten toppers were enrolled in the expensive foundation course.
- This concealed crucial information for potential students to make informed decisions about suitable courses.
CCPA observed a pattern of coaching institutes using this tactic to inflate perceived success rates.
The CCPA emphasizes the importance of transparent advertising by coaching institutes. Disclosing the specific courses taken by successful candidates empowers potential students to make informed choices.
This is not an isolated incident. The CCPA has previously:
- Issued 46 notices to coaching institutes for misleading advertisements.
- Fined 23 institutes a total of ₹74.6 lakh.
- Directed these institutes to discontinue misleading advertisements.
This incident highlights the CCPA’s commitment to protecting consumers from deceptive advertising practices in the coaching institute sector. Transparency in course selection information empowers students to make informed decisions about their UPSC CSE preparation.
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