In a crackdown against several coaching centers flouting norms, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Sunday slapped a fine of Rs 2 lakh on Shubhra Ranjan IAS Study for issuing a report regarding its admission to UPSC Civil Service 2023. Misleading advertising for success in exams (CSE).
The college claimed in its advertisement that “13 students were ranked in the top 100,” “28 students were ranked in the top 200,” and “39 students were ranked in the top 300.” It highlighted the names and photos of successful candidates but did not reveal the specific courses those students had taken.
Misleading practices identified
The CCPA found that most of the candidates who claimed success were enrolled in the Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) crash course and quiz series, which is designed for candidates who have cleared the UPSC preliminary examination. However, the college offers over 50 courses, creating a misleading impression that all courses have the same success rate.
Further, the institute used terms like “Shubhra Ranjan IAS” and “Student of Shubhra Ranjan IAS” in its advertisements and letterheads, giving the wrong impression that Shubhra Ranjan is or was an IAS officer. The institute later claimed it was a clerical error, a claim the CCPA found untenable.
infringement of consumer rights
The CCPA found that the agency’s conduct violated Section 2(28)(iv) of the Consumer Protection Act 2019, which defines misleading advertising as advertising that deliberately conceals material information. A lack of transparency prevents prospective students from making informed choices about courses.
The authorities directed the agency to immediately stop misleading advertisements and imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh.
Crack down on coaching institutes
The CCPA has been taking action against misleading claims made by training centres. In November, the consumer protection agency had fined Vajirao and Reddy Institute Rs 7 lakh for false advertising for claiming “617 out of 933 in UPSC CSE 2022” and “We are among the top coaching institutes in UPSC Number one on the list is “In India”.
So far, the agency has issued misleading advertising notices to 45 coaching institutes and imposed a total fine of Rs 6.36 million on 20 coaching institutes for similar violations.
Consumer Grievance Resolution
The Department of Consumer Affairs through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has been resolving complaints against coaching centres. Between September 2023 and August 2024, NCH provided refunds of Rs 115 crore to 432 students across the country, resolving issues such as non-refund of registration fees.
All refunds were processed promptly at the pre-litigation stage following the department’s intervention in the wake of affected students who filed complaints against NCH from across the country.