The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on Drishti IAS (VDK Eduventures Pvt. Ltd.) for publishing misleading advertisements regarding the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022 results.
Drishti IAS had prominently advertised “216+ selections in UPSC CSE 2022,” showcasing the names and photographs of successful candidates. However, CCPA’s investigation revealed that 162 of these 216 candidates (around 75 percent) had only enrolled in the free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP) of the institute, after clearing the Preliminary and Mains exams on their own. Only 54 candidates were actually enrolled in the IGP along with other paid courses.
The CCPA ruled that this selective disclosure misled aspirants and parents into believing that the institute was responsible for the candidates’ success in all stages of the UPSC exam. Such claims, the authority noted, are a clear violation of Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which prohibits misleading advertisements.
This is not the first time Drishti IAS has been penalised. In September 2024, the institute was fined Rs 3 lakh for similar misleading claims about UPSC CSE 2021 results. Despite prior warnings and financial penalties, the institute repeated the same practices for the 2022 examination.
The CCPA highlighted that such repeated violations raise concerns about the credibility of coaching advertisements, which often influence the academic decisions of lakhs of UPSC aspirants across India.
The CCPA order underlined that misleading claims by coaching institutes deprive students and parents of their right to make informed academic choices, as guaranteed under Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
“By exaggerating their role in students’ success, institutes create false expectations and exploit the aspirations of candidates who spend significant time and money in preparation,” the authority noted.
The action against Drishti IAS is part of a broader regulatory crackdown. The CCPA has so far issued 54 notices to various coaching institutes across the country for misleading advertisements. Penalties amounting to over ₹90.6 lakh have been imposed on 26 institutes for similar violations.
The authority has directed all coaching centres to ensure truthful and transparent disclosures in their promotional materials so that students and parents can make fair and well-informed choices regarding academic support.
