UPSC Success Claims Cost Vajiram & Ravi ₹7 Lakh
Consumer watchdog penalises institute for misleading UPSC success claims and concealing key information
- CCPA imposes ₹7 lakh penalty on Vajiram & Ravi
- Institute found guilty of concealing key information about successful candidates
- Majority of featured toppers had attended only free interview guidance sessions
- Authority says students have a right to accurate information before enrolling
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 30th May: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹7 lakh on Vajiram and Ravi IAS Study Centre LLP for publishing misleading advertisements related to UPSC Civil Services Examination results by concealing crucial information about the courses attended by successful candidates.
The order was passed by the CCPA, headed by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra, under provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
According to the authority, the coaching institute prominently advertised claims such as “8 Rank Holders in the Top 10 are from Vajiram & Ravi” and “37 Rank Holders in the Top 50 are from Vajiram & Ravi” following the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023 results.
However, the investigation found that seven of the eight candidates featured among the top 10 had only participated in the institute’s free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP), while 29 of the 37 candidates highlighted among the top 50 had also attended only the interview guidance programme.
The CCPA further found that a large majority of successful candidates showcased by the institute over several years were enrolled solely in the IGP rather than its full-length paid coaching programmes. According to the findings, 97.56 per cent of successful candidates highlighted in 2023 had attended only the interview guidance programme.
The authority noted that the IGP begins only after candidates have independently cleared both the Preliminary and Mains stages of the UPSC examination. It observed that by featuring such candidates alongside advertisements for comprehensive coaching courses without adequate disclosure, the institute created the impression that the candidates were products of its regular coaching programmes.
The CCPA held that failure to disclose the nature of the courses attended by successful candidates amounted to deliberate concealment of material information and fell within the definition of a misleading advertisement under Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act.
The regulator emphasised that prospective students and their families have the right to accurate and transparent information before making decisions regarding coaching services.
According to the authority, such omissions deprive consumers of the ability to make informed choices and violate their right to be informed under the Consumer Protection Act.
The CCPA said it has issued more than 60 notices to coaching institutes across the country for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices. The authority has so far imposed penalties exceeding ₹1.46 crore on coaching centres preparing students for examinations including UPSC, IIT-JEE, NEET, RBI and other competitive tests.
The latest action forms part of the government’s broader effort to promote transparency and accountability in the coaching sector while safeguarding the interests of students and parents.
