New Delhi: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹7 lakh on prominent UPSC coaching institute Vajiram & Ravi IAS Study Centre for allegedly publishing misleading advertisements related to Civil Services Examination results.
According to the consumer watchdog, the institute prominently featured successful UPSC candidates in its advertisements and claimed association with their achievements without fully disclosing the nature of the courses those candidates had actually attended. The CCPA observed that important information was concealed, creating an impression that the students’ success was primarily linked to the institute’s coaching programmes.
The authority noted that many of the candidates highlighted in the advertisements had reportedly enrolled only in the institute’s Interview Guidance Programme (IGP), a short-term course typically taken after clearing earlier stages of the UPSC examination independently. However, this detail was not clearly communicated in the promotional material.
The CCPA said such advertisements can mislead aspirants and parents who rely on success claims while choosing coaching institutes. The action was taken under provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which prohibits false or misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.
This is not the first time coaching institutes have faced scrutiny over result-related promotions. Over the past few years, the CCPA has issued notices and penalties to several institutions for allegedly exaggerating their role in candidates’ success stories.
The latest order is being seen as part of a broader effort by regulators to bring greater transparency to the highly competitive coaching industry, where success rates and topper endorsements often play a major role in attracting students.
