UPSC IAS Coaching Centre fined for misleading advertisements
A Delhi based UPSC (IAS and IPS) caching centre has been fined by the government for misleading advertisements and using exaggerated numbers to show its success and achievements.
New Delhi: A Delhi based UPSC (IAS and IPS) caching centre has been fined by the government for misleading advertisements and using exaggerated numbers to show its success and achievements.
“The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalty of INR 3 lakh for misleading advertisement on Sriram’s IAS”, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in an official statement released Sunday.
“The decision was taken to protect & promote the rights of consumers as a class and ensure that no false or misleading advertisement is made of any goods or services which contravenes the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019”, the ministry said.
The ministry further said that Sriram’s IAS in its advertisements claimed “it is India’s number 1”.
The Old Rajinder Nagar based UPSC Coaching Centre also claimed successful selection of 200 candidates. The claim was found to be untrue, the Ministry said.
“Sriram’s IAS in its advertisement made the following claims “200 plus selections in UPSC Civil Service Exam 2022” in UPSC CSE 2022. But in its response to the ministry submitted the details of only 171 successful candidates”, the statement said.
“Out of these 171 candidates, 102 were from Free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP), 55 were from Free Test Series, 9 were from GS Classroom course and 5 candidates were from different States under the MoU signed between the State Government and the Institute to provide free coaching. This fact was not disclosed in their advertisement, thereby deceiving consumers”, the ministry said.
Besides exaggerating the number of successful candidates from the coaching centre, Sriram’s IAS also claimed to be “India's No.1 Prestigious UPSC/IAS Coaching Institute”.
“The CCPA found out that it Sriram’s IAS advertised various types of courses but the information with respect to the course opted by the advertised successful candidates in abovementioned UPSC Civil Service exams results was deliberately concealed in the advertisement.
"This has the effect of consumers falsely believing that all the successful candidates so claimed by the Institute had opted for the paid courses advertised by the Institute on its website”, the ministry said.
Successful candidates of Civil Services Examination have to clear all the 3 stages of exams including Prelims, Main Exams and Personality Test (PT). While Prelims is a screening test, the marks obtained in both Mains Exams and Personality Test are counted for getting finally selected. The total marks for Main Exams and PT are 1750 and 275 respectively. Thus contribution of Personality Test is 13.5% in the total marks.
The Ministry further found Sriram's IAS gulity of violating the consumer’s rights.
"Majority of candidates had already cleared Preliminary and Mains examination by himself/herself, with no contribution of Sriram’s IAS.
"By concealing this important fact, such false & misleading advertisement creates huge impact on those consumers who are UPSC aspirants without letting them know that Sriram’s IAS had offered guidance to only such successful candidates who had already cleared Preliminary and Mains examination of UPSC examination.
"Thus, the advertisement has violated the consumer’s right to be informed so as to protect himself against unfair trade practice", the Ministry said.
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