Section 2(28)(iv) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, defines misleading advertisements as those that deliberately conceal crucial information
GUWAHATI: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) imposed penalties on three coaching institutes for violating the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 on Thursday, December 26.
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Vajirao & Reddy Institute and StudyIQ IAS have been fined ₹7 lakh each, while Edge IAS has been fined ₹1 lakh for publishing misleading advertisements regarding the results of the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) for 2022 and 2023.
Vajirao & Reddy Institute claimed significant success in UPSC CSE 2022, advertising figures such as “617 selections out of 933” and “72 in TOP 100 AIR.” The CCPA found these claims misleading as the institute prominently displayed successful candidates’ names and photos without specifying the courses they had undertaken.
Further investigations revealed that all 617 successful candidates were enrolled in the Interview Guidance Programme (IGP), yet the advertisement failed to disclose this fact. By withholding information about specific courses, the institute gave the impression that all its offerings had similar success rates.
StudyIQ IAS, meanwhile, advertised claims such as “120+ selections in UPSC CSE 2023” and “Success Pakka Offer” without providing clear substantiation. Out of 134 successful candidates, 126 were enrolled in the IGP, and only a few had taken other courses like the Ethics & Essay Crash Course and the MRP (Mains Residential Programme).
StudyIQ IAS also failed to provide documentation, such as enrollment forms or fee receipts, for the successful candidates.
Additionally, Edge IAS was fined ₹1 lakh for concealing critical information in its advertisements about the results of UPSC CSE 2023. The institute prominently featured the names and photos of 13 successful candidates but failed to disclose that 11 had enrolled in the IGP and only 2 in the Mentoring Course and IGP. Both programmes are applicable only after clearing the preliminary and mains examinations.
Section 2(28)(iv) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, defines misleading advertisements as those that deliberately conceal crucial information. The CCPA noted that many coaching institutes use successful candidates’ names and photos in advertisements to create a false impression that they were regular classroom students or enrolled in multiple courses.
The CCPA has taken extensive action against such practices, issuing 45 notices to various coaching institutes for misleading advertisements. Penalties amounting to ₹71.6 lakh have been imposed on 22 coaching institutes, with instructions to discontinue such advertisements.