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The CCPA fined Vajiram & Ravi ₹7 lakh for misleading claims about UPSC success, with most cited candidates having only enrolled in a free interview guidance program. This practice misled consumers into believing they were products of full-length coaching courses.
Data examined by the CCPA revealed a consistent pattern of non-disclosure across multiple years. (Representative Image) Photo by Bachchan Kumar.The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has levied a penalty of ₹7 lakh on Vajiram and Ravi IAS Study Centre for allegedly publishing misleading advertisements that took credit for the success of candidates who cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023, despite most of them having participated only in its free interview guidance programme.
The institute had claimed on its official website, shortly after results were declared, that “8 Rank Holders in the Top 10” and “37 Rank Holders in the Top 50” are from Vajiram & Ravi.
It had further asserted that "every year, more than 30 per cent of the officers selected through UPSC Civil Services Examination are students of Vajiram & Ravi," the regulator said in a statement.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), headed by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra, found that 7 out of the 8 top-10 rankers cited in the advertisement, and 29 out of the 37 top-50 rankers, had enrolled only in the free IGP, a fact the institute had not disclosed.
The concealment was not limited to 2023. Data examined by the CCPA revealed a consistent pattern of non-disclosure across multiple years.
In 2021, 86.36 per cent of the institute's successful candidates had enrolled only in the IGP; in 2022, the figure was 78.31 per cent; in 2023, it rose sharply to 97.56 per cent; and in 2024, it stood at 71.69 per cent. In none of these years was this information disclosed on the institute's official website.
The CCPA noted that the IGP is a short-duration programme that commences only after a candidate has independently cleared both the Preliminary and Mains stages of the UPSC CSE, two highly competitive stages at which the institute had no academic contribution whatsoever.
By prominently featuring such candidates alongside advertisements for comprehensive paid coaching programmes, without any disclosure of the specific course opted for, the institute created a misleading impression that these candidates were products of its full-length coaching.
The authority held that non-disclosure of the specific courses opted for by successful candidates, whether full-length classroom programmes, optional subject coaching, test series, or a free interview guidance programme, amounts to a misleading advertisement under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The conduct was found to fall squarely within Section 2(28)(iv) of the Act, which prohibits deliberate concealment of important information, and was further held to violate Section 2(9), which guarantees consumers the right to be informed.
The action against Vajiram & Ravi is part of a broader regulatory crackdown on the coaching industry.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued more than 60 notices to coaching institutes over alleged misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices. The regulator has also imposed cumulative penalties exceeding ₹1.46 crore on institutes providing coaching for competitive examinations such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, IIT-JEE, NEET, and RBI Recruitment Examinations, among others.
(With inputs from PTI)
About the Author
Mausam Jha
Mausam Jha is a journalist who focuses on world affairs and politics. She provides clear, informative reporting with a good understanding of both global events and their local impact. <br><br> Her clear, accessible reporting on political and international issues makes her a trusted source of news and analysis. <br><br> For the past three years, Mausam has worked with Mint, covering national politics, IR—including elections—and global affairs.<br> Before joining her current role, she gained experience working with The Statesman, ANI, and Financial Express, where she honed her skills in political and international news. <br><br> She has consistently tracked key electoral battles, including US elections, Japan elections, policy debates, and strategic affairs, explaining how global currents, from great power competition to regional conflicts <br><br> Beyond journalism, Mausam has a deep engagement with international relations, diplomacy, war studies, terrorism, political history, and political theory. She is particularly interested in the intersection of statecraft and society on how governance, ideology, and institutions shape lived realities, and how politics shape today's world order. <br><br> An avid reader of classical literature and political thought, she constantly explores the connections between historical ideas and contemporary policy challenges.
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