The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a ₹3 lakh penalty on Vision IAS for misleading claims in its advertisement regarding UPSC CSE 2020 results. The advertisement stated, “10 in Top 10 selections in CSE 2020 from various programs of Vision IAS,” but failed to disclose crucial details about the courses taken by the successful candidates.
While Vision IAS displayed the names and images of the successful candidates, it concealed information about the specific courses they enrolled in. The ad created a false impression that all the top-ranked candidates had attended the ‘GS Foundation Batch Classroom Student’ course. In reality, candidates had enrolled in various programmes, including foundation courses, test series, and mock tests.
Upon examination, CCPA found discrepancies in the course details. The Foundation course, priced at ₹1,40,000, was only enrolled by select candidates, while others participated in more affordable test series and mock exams. This omission misled prospective students, making it appear that all Vision IAS courses had equal success rates.
CCPA’s ruling emphasises the importance of transparency in advertisements for coaching institutes, ensuring consumers can make informed decisions. This fine is part of CCPA’s ongoing efforts to tackle misleading advertising in the coaching industry, with over ₹74 lakh in penalties imposed on 23 institutes so far.
