Delhi, 3 October (H.S.):The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹5 lakh on Drishti IAS (VDK Eduventures Pvt. Ltd.) for publishing misleading advertisements claiming “216+ selections in UPSC CSE 2022” without disclosing crucial details about the candidates' course enrolments.

Misleading Claim and Concealment of Key Information

An investigation revealed that out of the 216 candidates featured, 162 (75%) had only taken the institute’s free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP), having cleared the Preliminary and Mains exams independently, while only 54 candidates enrolled in the IGP combined with other paid courses. This omission led aspirants and parents to mistakenly believe Drishti IAS was responsible for success at all UPSC stages, violating Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 .

Repeat Offense and Previous Penalty

This is the second time Drishti IAS has been penalized for similar misleading advertisements. In September 2024, the institute was fined ₹3 lakh for falsely claiming “150+ selections in UPSC CSE 2021.” Despite warnings, Drishti IAS repeated the practice in 2022 with an amplified claim, indicating repeated non-compliance and disregard for consumer protection norms .

Broader CCPA Actions and Warnings

So far, CCPA has issued 54 notices to various coaching institutes and imposed penalties totaling over ₹90.6 lakh on 26 such institutions for misleading advertisements, mostly due to concealment of course details relevant to successful candidates. The authority stresses the critical need for transparent, truthful advertising to protect the right of students and parents to make informed academic decisions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar