Vajiram & Ravi Penalized for Misleading UPSC Success Advertising

The Central Consumer Protection Authority has imposed a fine of Rs 7 lakh on the Vajiram & Ravi IAS Study Centre for allegedly publishing misleading advertisements regarding its candidates' success in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023.

The advertisements claimed credit for high-ranking candidates, many of whom had participated only in Vajiram & Ravi's free interview guidance programme, which is attended after passing the challenging Preliminary and Mains exams. The regulator disclosed that the institute failed to clarify this distinction in its promotions.

An investigation by the CCPA revealed that the majority of candidates mentioned in the advertisements had not taken the full coaching sessions but only had assistance in interview preparation. The authority noted this misrepresentation breached the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, by concealing crucial information from consumers.

In a broader regulatory sweep, the CCPA has sent over 60 notices to various coaching centers for similar deceptive practices and imposed fines totaling more than Rs 1.46 crore, targeting institutions preparing students for key examinations, including the UPSC, IIT-JEE, and NEET.