New Delhi: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has announced an investigation into 20 prominent IAS coaching centers for allegedly employing misleading advertising strategies and engaging in unfair trade practices. The probe centers around the inappropriate use of toppers’ and successful candidates’ names and images to influence aspiring candidates.
At present, CCPA Chairperson Nidhi Khare has revealed that, out of the 20 institutions under scrutiny, four of them—Rau’s IAS Study Circle, Chahal Academy, IQRA IAS, and IAS Baba—have been levied a financial penalty of Rs 1 lakh each. Notices have been served to the remaining institutes, including Vajirao & Reddy Institute, Khan Study Group IAS, Analog IAS, Sriram’s IAS, and many others.
Khare stated, “Notices have been issued in the last eighteen months, following the deliberate concealment of vital information regarding the achievements of their successful students. We have already imposed financial penalties on four centers, and further cases are presently under investigation.”
Traditionally, a surge in advertising campaigns by coaching institutes follows the announcement of results from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations. Khare noted that, on average, approximately 900 candidates secure success in the UPSC exams annually, out of a staggering pool of more than 10 lakh applicants.
After the release of the UPSC final results in 2022, it was revealed that a total of 933 candidates were recommended. However, it has come to light that the 20 institutes in question substantially exceeded the UPSC’s recommendations.
The issue at hand also extends to multiple coaching institutes falsely claiming the same top-ranking candidate as their own. Such institutes may have provided coaching for various subjects or different stages of the examination, but they collectively claim the success once a candidate clears the UPSC.
Khare emphasized the importance of these institutes transparently disclosing the specific courses for which successful students enrolled. Such transparency is crucial to safeguard the interests of potential candidates who may unknowingly invest their time and money into institutions without a proven track record.
The CCPA reports that the coaching industry in India currently generates revenue of approximately Rs 58,088 crore, with an annual migration of around 2 lakh students to Kota, Rajasthan, and Delhi recognized as a significant hub for UPSC-CSE coaching.
It is evident that the CCPA is committed to curbing misleading advertising and promoting greater transparency within the coaching industry to protect the interests of aspiring civil service candidates.
