CCPA Fines Drishti IAS ₹5 Lakh for Misleading UPSC Result Advertisements

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹5 lakh on Drishti IAS (VDK Eduventures Pvt. Ltd.) for publishing misleading advertisements about its claimed success rate in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022. The penalty highlights CCPA’s growing crackdown on deceptive marketing practices in India’s competitive coaching sector.

Misleading Claims of “216+ Selections”

Drishti IAS ran advertisements prominently declaring “216+ selections in UPSC CSE 2022” accompanied by the names and photographs of successful candidates. However, CCPA’s investigation revealed that the claim concealed critical information about the type and duration of courses taken by these candidates.

The findings showed:

• Out of 216 candidates, 162 (75%) had only attended the free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP) after independently clearing the Prelims and Mains stages.

• Only 54 students were enrolled in IGP plus other paid courses such as Foundation, Optional, or Mentorship programmes.

By omitting these details, the advertisement misled aspirants and their families into believing that the institute’s coaching was responsible for candidates’ success across all stages of the exam.

CCPA ruled that such concealment amounts to a “misleading advertisement” under Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, as it unfairly influences consumer decisions and creates false expectations.

Repeat Violation Despite Earlier Penalty

This is not the first time Drishti IAS has been penalized. In September 2024, the institute faced a penalty of ₹3 lakh for a similar advertisement related to UPSC CSE 2021 results.

At that time, Drishti IAS had claimed “150+ selections”, but upon scrutiny:

• 148 candidates were found to be IGP participants only,

• 7 students enrolled in the Mains Mentorship Programme,

• 4 students in the GS Foundation Programme,

• 1 student in an Optional course, while

• Details of 1 candidate were missing.

Despite being cautioned and penalized, the institute repeated the same practice in 2022 with even bigger claims, which CCPA described as evidence of “repeated non-compliance and disregard for consumer protection norms.”

Wider Crackdown on Coaching Institutes

The case against Drishti IAS comes amid a wider campaign by CCPA to ensure fair practices in the booming coaching industry. So far, the Authority has:

• Issued 54 notices to various coaching institutes,

• Imposed penalties worth over ₹90.6 lakh on 26 institutes,

• Directed multiple players to discontinue misleading claims.

CCPA has pointed out a common pattern: most coaching centres highlight their association with successful candidates but fail to disclose whether those students were full-time enrolled, short-term participants, or only attended free interview sessions.

Students’ Right to Informed Choice

The Authority emphasized that misleading advertisements directly violate students’ “right to be informed” under Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. By concealing key details, institutes deny parents and aspirants the ability to make fair and transparent academic choices.

With India’s competitive examinations fueling a multi-billion-rupee coaching industry, misleading advertisements can have serious consequences. They not only distort consumer decisions but also exploit the aspirations of lakhs of students who invest heavily in coaching with the hope of securing prestigious government jobs.

Call for Ethical Practices

CCPA has reiterated that all coaching institutes must strictly ensure truthful and transparent disclosures in their advertisements. The regulator has warned that continued violations will attract heavier penalties and stricter enforcement action.

For students and parents, this case serves as a reminder to carefully scrutinize coaching claims and seek independent verification before making costly academic investments.