The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has intensified its crackdown on misleading advertisements by coaching institutes, imposing significant penalties on several prominent organizations. In the latest action, penalties of ₹7 lakh each were levied on Vajirao & Reddy Institute and StudyIQ IAS, while Edge IAS was fined ₹1 lakh for deceptive advertising related to the results of the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022 and 2023.
So far, the CCPA has issued 45 notices to various coaching institutes, imposing penalties totaling ₹71.60 lakh on 22 institutes. These actions were taken to address false claims and deceptive marketing tactics that mislead aspiring students.
Vajirao & Reddy Institute:
The institute claimed 617 successful candidates in the UPSC CSE 2022, prominently displaying their names and photographs alongside advertisements for paid courses. However, the CCPA investigation revealed that all these candidates were enrolled exclusively in the Interview Guidance Programme (IGP). The institute failed to disclose which specific courses were opted for by the successful candidates, misleading potential students into believing that all courses had the same high success rate.
StudyIQ IAS:
The coaching institute’s advertisements, including claims like “Success Pakka Offer” and “Selection Pakka Offer,” were found to be unsubstantiated. The CCPA noted that StudyIQ IAS did not provide enrollment forms, registration details, or fee receipts for the claimed successful candidates of UPSC CSE 2023. Furthermore, the institute concealed details about the specific courses opted for by these candidates, creating a false impression about its offerings.
Edge IAS:
Edge IAS advertised the names and photographs of 13 successful UPSC candidates while failing to disclose the courses these individuals attended. The omission misled consumers into believing that the success was linked to regular classroom programs.
The CCPA noted a recurring trend of coaching institutes using the same candidates’ names and images in their advertisements, while withholding critical details about the programs these individuals attended. This practice creates a deceptive perception of success across all offered courses.
The CCPA has directed the institutes to discontinue these misleading advertisements immediately. The authority emphasized the importance of transparency in marketing to ensure that potential students make informed decisions about their education and career paths.
