The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Friday fined Drishti IAS 5 lakh for publishing “misleading” advertisements about UPSC CSE 2022 selections and urged coaching institutes to ensure full transparency in their disclosures.
Drishti IAS advertised “216+ selections in UPSC CSE 2022” with candidate names and photos, but the CCPA found that 75% or 162 out of the 216 candidates had only taken the free interview guidance programme (IGP) of the institute after clearing Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) prelims and mains examinations independently, while the others enrolled in IGP plus other courses.
“This deliberate concealment of important information misled aspirants and parents into believing that Drishti IAS was responsible for their success in all stages of UPSC examination, which is a misleading advertisement under Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019,” the ministry of consumer affairs, food & public distribution said in a press statement.
This is the second time in a year that the leading UPSC coaching institute has been fined for false claims, “thereby showing repeated non-compliance and disregard of consumer protection norms”, the ministry said. In September 2024, it was penalised 3 lakh for misleadingly advertising “150+ selections” in UPSC CSE 2021 even though most candidates had enrolled only in limited IGP and other courses.
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