CCPA fines Vision IAS ₹11 lakh for misleading UPSC ads in first repeat-offence penalty

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹11 lakh on coaching institute Vision IAS for publishing misleading advertisements related to student performance in the UPSC Civil Services Examination, marking the first instance of a higher penalty being levied for a repeat offence under consumer protection laws.

The CCPA found that Vision IAS, officially registered as AjayVision Education, misrepresented the academic background of successful UPSC candidates featured in its advertisements. According to the authority, the institute created a false impression that a large number of top-ranking candidates had enrolled in its high-cost foundation courses, while concealing the fact that most had only availed limited services such as test series, mock interviews or one-time assessment programmes.

The advertisements prominently claimed “7 in Top 10 & 79 in Top 100 selections in CSE 2023” and “39 in Top 50 selections in CSE 2022,” accompanied by photographs and ranks of selected candidates. However, the regulator’s investigation revealed that out of more than 119 candidates showcased for the 2022 and 2023 examinations, only three had actually enrolled in foundation courses, while the remaining candidates had subscribed to short-term or ancillary offerings.

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CCPA Chief Commissioner and Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said the institute continued to publish similar claims despite earlier regulatory intervention. “This is the first case of penalty on the second offence. The continued publication of such advertisements shows a lack of due diligence and compliance,” she said.

The authority noted that Vision IAS selectively disclosed course details only for a few candidates, such as Shubham Kumar (AIR 1, UPSC CSE 2020), while omitting similar disclosures for others, thereby misleading aspirants into believing that the institute’s flagship courses were directly responsible for widespread success.

The CCPA also highlighted that misleading claims on websites are particularly harmful, as digital platforms remain accessible for long durations and are often the primary source of information for students researching coaching institutes. The use of student images and success claims without proper authorisation further aggravated the violation, the authority said.

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So far, the CCPA has issued 57 notices to coaching institutes for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices, imposing penalties totalling ₹1.09 crore on 28 entities. The regulator reiterated that coaching institutes must ensure transparent and accurate disclosures to enable students and parents to make informed academic choices.