GUWAHATI: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) announced stricter guidelines for the prevention of misleading advertisements in the coaching sector on Wednesday, November 13.
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Under these guidelines, “coaching” is broadly defined to include any large-group instruction aimed at academic advancement. They also impose restrictions on endorsements by public figures, influencers, and any claims they cannot verify, holding them accountable under the Consumer Protection Act.
The guidelines establish clear requirements for advertising honesty:
Truth in Advertising: Coaching centres are barred from using exaggerated success rates, guarantees of high scores, or “last-chance” enrollment tactics.
Accurate Representation: All claims about infrastructure, faculty credentials, and course content must be verifiable and accurate.
Transparency in Success Stories: To avoid creating undue pressure on students, coaching centres must obtain written consent before using students’ testimonials or achievements for promotional purposes.
Disclosure of Course Sponsorships: Advertising must clearly state whether students paid for a course. Disclaimers must appear in the same font size as other key information.
Mandatory Partnership with National Consumer Helpline: Centers must also now connect with the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), allowing students an accessible avenue for complaints and rapid conflict resolution.
Finally, the CCPA emphasised that any violation of these guidelines will result in severe penalties under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, for any exaggerations about a centre’s success rates, faculty expertise, or guarantees of selection will now be considered misleading and punishable.
