The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has delivered a firm message to coaching centers, imposing a hefty penalty of ₹5 lakh on Drishti IAS (VDK Eduventures Pvt Ltd) for disseminating misleading advertisements concerning the outcomes of the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022.
Drishti IAS had prominently showcased “216+ selections in UPSC CSE 2022” in its promotional materials, complete with the names and photographs of successful candidates. However, a closer look by the CCPA revealed that these claims were not only deceptive but also deliberately omitted crucial details.
The investigation unearthed a significant discrepancy: out of the 216 candidates featured, a staggering 162 individuals—accounting for 75%—had only participated in the institute’s free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP). These candidates had successfully cleared the Preliminary and Mains stages of the UPSC CSE entirely on their own, prior to joining Drishti IAS for interview coaching. Only a mere 54 students were actually enrolled in IGP alongside other comprehensive courses offered by the institute.
This calculated omission of vital information effectively misled aspiring students and their parents, creating a false impression that Drishti IAS was instrumental in their success across all phases of the demanding UPSC examination. The CCPA has categorized this as a misleading advertisement under Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Notably, this isn’t Drishti IAS’s first brush with the regulatory body. In September 2024, the CCPA had previously issued a final order against the institute for a similar deceptive claim of “150+ selections in UPSC CSE 2021.” During that earlier investigation, out of 161 claimed candidates, 148 were found to have only enrolled in the IGP, with minimal numbers in other paid programs. This resulted in a ₹3 lakh penalty and an order to cease the misleading advertisement.
Despite previous penalties and warnings, Drishti IAS persisted in this questionable advertising tactic for the 2022 results, even escalating its claims to “216+ selections.” This repeated non-compliance demonstrates a clear disregard for consumer protection regulations.
Such concealment of crucial facts undermines the right of prospective students and their parents to make informed decisions, directly violating Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The ministry emphasized that “Such advertisements create false expectations and unfairly influence consumer decisions, particularly when large claims are made without transparent disclosure of facts.”
The CCPA has been actively addressing this issue, having issued 54 notices to various coaching institutes for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices. Penalties totaling over Rs 90.6 lakh have been imposed on 26 institutes, along with directives to stop such misleading promotional activities.
The authority strongly reiterates that all coaching institutes have a responsibility to ensure complete and honest disclosure of information in their advertisements, empowering students to make well-informed choices about their academic and career paths.