The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has fined Vision IAS ₹3 lakh for misleading advertisements about the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) 2020 results. This action was taken to protect consumer rights and ensure that advertisements comply with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
What Happened?
Vision IAS claimed in an advertisement:
“10 in Top 10 selections in CSE 2020 from various programs of Vision IAS.”
While the ad featured the names and photos of successful candidates, it failed to mention the specific courses they took. This omission created a false impression that all the top candidates were enrolled in its classroom foundation course, which was untrue.
Findings by CCPA:
- Rank 1 was a classroom student of the GS Foundation Course (₹1,40,000), but others opted for different, less expensive programs:
- 6 candidates took only Mains test series.
- 2 candidates enrolled for the Abhyaas Prelims mock test (₹750).
- 1 candidate chose the Prelims test series.
- The test series and mock tests played a minor role compared to the comprehensive Foundation Course. Many candidates cleared other stages (Prelims, Mains, and Interview) independently.
Why This Matters:
By hiding details about specific courses, Vision IAS misled potential students into believing all its programs had equally high success rates. Transparency in such ads is crucial to help students make informed decisions about enrolling in coaching programs.
CCPA’s Actions:
- A fine of ₹3 lakh was imposed on Vision IAS.
- The authority highlighted that similar practices are common among coaching centers. To date, the CCPA has issued 46 notices to various institutes and imposed fines totaling ₹74.6 lakh on 23 coaching institutes for false advertisements and unfair trade practices.
Final Note:
This action serves as a warning to coaching centers to avoid misleading claims. Young aspirants deserve transparency to make educated decisions about their future.
For details, visit the CCPA orders page: https://doca.gov.in/ccpa/orders-advisories.php.
