New Delhi: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹7 lakh on Vajiram and Ravi IAS Study Centre LLP for publishing misleading advertisements related to the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) results.
The action was taken under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, after the authority found that the institute had concealed material information regarding the nature of courses attended by successful candidates featured in its promotional campaigns.
According to an official statement issued by the Government of India, the CCPA passed a final order against Vajiram and Ravi IAS Study Centre LLP for indulging in misleading advertisements through the deliberate concealment of important information.
The authority stated that the action aims to protect consumer rights and ensure that no false or misleading advertisement is made in relation to goods or services in violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The order was passed by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), headed by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra.
The authority observed that Vajiram and Ravi IAS Study Centre prominently used the names, photographs, and achievements of successful candidates from the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2023 while failing to disclose crucial details regarding the specific courses undertaken by those candidates.
Following the declaration of UPSC CSE 2023 results, Vajiram and Ravi IAS Study Centre published the following claims on its official website:
- “8 Rank Holders in the Top 10 are from Vajiram & Ravi”
- “37 Rank Holders in the Top 50 are from Vajiram & Ravi.”
- “Fact: Every year, more than 30% of the officers selected through UPSC Civil Services Examination are students of Vajiram & Ravi.”
After conducting a detailed investigation, the CCPA examined these claims and found significant discrepancies.
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Regarding the claim that “8 Rank Holders in the Top 10 are from Vajiram & Ravi,” the authority found that seven out of the eight candidates had only enrolled in the institute’s free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP).
Similarly, in relation to the claim that “37 Rank Holders in the Top 50 are from Vajiram & Ravi,” the investigation revealed that 29 of the 37 candidates had participated only in the free Interview Guidance Programme.
The CCPA also scrutinized the institute’s claim that more than 30% of officers selected through the UPSC Civil Services Examination every year are students of the institute.
The authority found that a substantial majority of these successful candidates had only enrolled in the Interview Guidance Programme.
The findings showed that:
- In 2021, 86.36% of successful candidates were enrolled in the Interview Guidance Programme.
- In 2022, 78.31% of successful candidates were enrolled in the Interview Guidance Programme.
- In 2023, 97.56% of successful candidates were enrolled in the Interview Guidance Programme.
- In 2024, 71.69% of successful candidates were enrolled in the Interview Guidance Programme.
The CCPA noted that this important information was not disclosed on the official website of Vajiram and Ravi IAS Study Centre during any of these years.
The authority further observed that the Interview Guidance Programme commences only after candidates have independently cleared both the Preliminary and Mains stages of the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
These stages are among the most competitive and rigorous parts of the examination process. Therefore, the CCPA stated that the institute had no academic contribution toward helping candidates clear these stages.
According to the authority, by prominently showcasing such candidates in advertisements for comprehensive paid coaching programmes without disclosing the exact course attended, Vajiram and Ravi IAS Study Centre created a misleading impression that these candidates had been trained through its full-length coaching programmes.
The CCPA observed that consumers were deprived of the ability to make informed decisions because the institute did not disclose whether successful candidates had attended full-length classroom programmes, optional subject coaching, test series, or only the free Interview Guidance Programme of short duration.
The authority held that such advertisements fall within the definition of a “misleading advertisement” under Section 2(28)(iv) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which prohibits the deliberate concealment of material information.
The conduct was also found to violate Section 2(9) of the Act, which grants consumers the right to be informed before making purchasing decisions.
The order reiterates that consumers have the right to accurate and complete information before selecting coaching services.
The CCPA emphasized that transparency in advertisements is essential to enable students and parents to make informed choices regarding educational and coaching institutions.
The action against Vajiram and Ravi IAS Study Centre forms part of the authority’s broader efforts to curb misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices in the coaching sector.
According to the CCPA, more than 60 notices have been issued so far to coaching institutes for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.
The authority has imposed penalties exceeding ₹1.46 crore on coaching institutes offering preparation services for examinations including UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE), IIT-JEE, NEET, RBI, and other competitive examinations.
The CCPA stated that these measures are intended to safeguard student interests and promote greater transparency and accountability within India’s coaching industry.
