https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

CCPA Imposes Penalties on Coaching Institutes for Misleading UPSC CSE Claims

Penalties totaling ₹9 lakh have been imposed on Vajirao & Reddy Institute, StudyIQ IAS, and Edge IAS for violating the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs
Indian Masterminds Stories

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), led by Chief Commissioner Ms Nidhi Khare (1992 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre) and Commissioner Mr Anupam Mishra (1995 batch IES officer), has taken strict action against coaching institutes making misleading claims about the results of the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) 2022 and 2023. Penalties totaling ₹9 lakh have been imposed on Vajirao & Reddy Institute, StudyIQ IAS, and Edge IAS for violating the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Penalties and Violations

Vajirao & Reddy Institute faces a penalty of ₹7 lakh for advertising false claims regarding its success rate in UPSC CSE 2022. The advertisement stated: “617 selections out of 933 in UPSC CSE 2022,” alongside other exaggerated claims of top AIR rankings. CCPA found that all the 617 successful candidates had enrolled in the Interview Guidance Programme (IGP), a crucial detail omitted from the advertisement. The institute’s failure to specify the course chosen by the successful candidates misled prospective students about the actual success rates of the institute’s courses.

Similarly, StudyIQ IAS was fined ₹7 lakh for making misleading claims such as “120+ selections in UPSC CSE 2023” and “Success Pakka Offer.” The institute failed to disclose that most of its successful candidates had enrolled in the Interview Guidance Programme, not the advertised regular courses. Additionally, StudyIQ IAS did not substantiate its “Success Pakka Offer” claim with proper documentation or course enrollment details.

Edge IAS, which faced a ₹1 lakh penalty, was found guilty of similarly misleading consumers with claims about UPSC CSE 2023 results. The institute showcased the names and photographs of successful candidates but concealed the specific courses they had enrolled in, misrepresenting the effectiveness of its offerings.

CCPA’s Rationale

The CCPA’s actions come in response to complaints that these coaching institutes used successful candidates’ names and images to advertise their services, while deliberately hiding the courses the candidates took to achieve success. According to Section 2(28) (iv) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, misleading advertisements include those that “deliberately conceal important information.” By withholding this crucial information, the institutes misled students into making uninformed choices about which courses to enroll in.

Ongoing Efforts to Protect Consumers

The CCPA has previously issued 45 notices to coaching institutes for similar offenses and imposed a total penalty of ₹71.6 lakh on 22 coaching institutes for misleading advertising. The Authority continues to monitor and take action against unfair trade practices to protect the interests of consumers, particularly young aspirants seeking guidance for competitive exams like UPSC.

These measures highlight the CCPA’s commitment to safeguarding consumer rights and ensuring transparency in advertising practices within the education sector.

Get Latest Updates on Indian Bureaucracy NewsIAS NewsIPS NewsIFS NewsIRS NewsCivil Services Excam NewsJudiciary NewsState Civil Services NewsPSU News


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Mazagaon Dock
Strategic Expansion: Mazagon Dock to Acquire 51% Stake in Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard with $53 Million Investment
Sujata Saunik
Race Heats Up for Maharashtra Chief Secretary Post as Sujata Saunik Nears Retirement — Who Will Succeed Her? Top Contenders Revealed
Indian Bureaucracy News Latest
IRSEE Joyanta Chakraborty Repatriated for Promotion; Dr Deepak Bagla Appointed Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission
SBI_resized
SBI Strengthens Co-Lending Partnership with Paisalo to Reach More Small Businesses in Tier 2, 3 and Rural India
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri
Rudrasagar Blowout Contained: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Commends ONGC & International Experts for Swift, Safe Resolution
RCB Parade Stampede
RCB Victory Stampede: Suspended IPS Dayananda Deposes, Inquiry Report Expected Soon; Public Urged to Submit Evidence
ONGC_resized
ONGC Successfully Caps Rudrasagar Gas Well Blowout After 15 Days of Intensive Effort, Global Experts End Crisis
406951-supreme-court-of-india-sc
Limited Manpower: SC Stays MP High Court Order Mandating SP-Led Supervision of Serious Crime Probes, Asks State to Submit SOP
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
Mazagaon Dock
Strategic Expansion: Mazagon Dock to Acquire 51% Stake in Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard with $53 Million Investment
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT