“CCPA has imposed a fine of Rs 500,000 for misleading advertisement on Shankar IAS Academy. The decision was taken to protect and promote the rights of consumers as a group and ensure that no false or misleading advertisement of any product or service is made in contravention of the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019,” the Ministry of Consumer Affairs said in a statement.
Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare said the academy exaggerated its claims about its success rate and the nature of courses that successful candidates pursued. The academy’s advertisements boasted of “336 selected out of 933 at All India level”, “40 candidates in the top 100” and “2 candidates from Tamil Nadu, of which 37 studied at Shankar IAS Academy”, and claimed to be the “Best IAS Academy in India”.
However, the CCPA investigation found that Shankar IAS Academy had “deliberately concealed” critical information about the specific courses completed by the selected candidates. “This practice consequently lures consumers into purchasing paid courses advertised by the training institutes,” the CCPA said in a statement.
The regulator found that of the 336 candidates allegedly selected, 221 had only participated in a free interview guidance programme, while others had taken part in short-term components rather than full courses.
The CCPA also found that some claims were based on candidates who had enrolled in preliminary exam courses after the 2022 exam, potentially preparing them for the following year’s exam.
“This practice misleads consumers into purchasing paid courses based on inaccurate information,” the CCPA said in its statement, emphasizing the need for transparency in advertisements. With over a million candidates appearing for the UPSC civil services exam every year, the CCPA action underscores the importance of clear and honest information to help aspirants make informed decisions about their training options.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.