**CCPA Imposes Rs 5 Lakh Penalty on Drishti IAS for Misleading UPSC CSE 2022 Advertisements**
*New Delhi:* The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on Drishti IAS (VDK Eduventures) for publishing misleading advertisements related to the results of the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022. This was announced by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution on Friday.
The CCPA’s investigation revealed that Drishti IAS prominently claimed “216+ selections in UPSC CSE 2022” in its advertisements. However, this claim was found to be misleading as it concealed crucial information about the type and duration of courses that these candidates had actually opted for.
According to the Ministry, out of the 216 candidates claimed by Drishti IAS, 162 candidates (75%) had only participated in the Institute’s free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP) after clearing the Preliminary and Mains stages independently. Only 54 students were enrolled in the IGP alongside other courses offered by the institute.
“This deliberate concealment of important information misled aspirants and their parents into believing that Drishti IAS was responsible for their success in all stages of the UPSC examination,” the Ministry stated. This constitutes a misleading advertisement under Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
It is notable that this is the second penalty imposed on Drishti IAS for similar violations; in September 2024, the CCPA had already imposed a Rs 3 lakh fine and directed the company to discontinue the misleading advertisement. Despite this, Drishti IAS repeated the same conduct, demonstrating non-compliance and disregard for consumer protection norms.
The Ministry emphasized that such concealment deprived prospective students and parents of their right to make informed decisions under Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Advertisements of this nature create false expectations and unfairly influence consumer choices, especially when large claims are made without transparent disclosure.
So far, the CCPA has issued 54 notices to various coaching institutes for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices. Penalties exceeding Rs 90.6 lakh have been imposed on 26 coaching institutes, along with directions to discontinue such misleading claims.
The regulator underscored the importance of truthful disclosure in advertisements by all coaching institutes to ensure that students can make fair and informed decisions regarding their academic pursuits.
*Disclaimer: This story is from the syndicated feed. Nothing has changed except the headline.*
https://www.freepressjournal.in/business/ccpa-imposes-5-lakh-penalty-on-drishti-ias-for-publishing-misleading-advertisements-regarding-upsc-civil-services-examination-results-2022
