Drishti IAS fined ₹5 lakh for misleading UPSC result ads: 'Repeated non-compliance and disregard of...'

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹5 lakh on coaching institute Drishti IAS for publishing misleading advertisements related to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022 results, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs said on Friday.

The authority found that the institute’s claim of “216+ selections in UPSC CSE 2022” was misleading as it concealed crucial information about the type and duration of courses taken by successful candidates.

According to CCPA, out of the 216 candidates claimed by Drishti IAS, 162 (about 75%) had only availed the institute’s free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP), after independently clearing the preliminary and mains stages of the examination. Only 54 candidates had enrolled in the IGP along with other paid courses.

“The concealment of such crucial information deprived prospective students and parents of their right to make an informed choice under Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019," the Consumer Affairs Ministry said.

"Such advertisements create false expectations and unfairly influence consumer decisions, particularly when large claims are made without transparent disclosure of facts," it added.

In September 2024, the institute was fined ₹3 lakh for a similar misleading claim of “150+ selections in UPSC CSE 2021”. At that time too, the majority of the claimed selections were from candidates who had only joined the free interview programme.

“Despite being penalized and cautioned earlier, Drishti IAS once again indulged in the same practice for the 2022 examination result..., thereby showing repeated non-compliance and disregard of consumer protection norms,” the authority said.

So far, CCPA has issued 54 notices to coaching institutes for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices. Penalties amounting to more than ₹90.6 lakh have been imposed on 26 institutes.

The authority stressed that coaching centres must ensure truthful disclosures in their advertisements to enable aspirants and parents to make informed choices.