**Executive Summary**
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹11 lakh on Vision IAS for publishing misleading advertisements regarding the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) results for 2022 and 2023. This action is a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The final order is available on the Central Consumer Protection Authority website.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Violation Details:**
* Vision IAS was penalized for misleading advertisements related to the UPSC CSE 2022 and 2023 results.
* The institute advertised false claims about the number of top selections.
* Vision IAS concealed the specific courses opted by successful candidates, creating a misleading impression that all candidates were enrolled in the GS Foundation Batch Classroom Course.
* **Misleading Practices:**
* The institute claimed 119+ successful candidates, but only three had enrolled in foundation courses.
* The institute projected claims without proper authorization or consent from the students.
* The advertisements, featuring successful candidates' names and photographs, misled prospective aspirants by misrepresenting the candidates' success.
* **Regulatory Actions:**
* This is not the first time Vision IAS has been proceeded against for publishing misleading advertisements.
* The CCPA has issued 57 notices to coaching institutes for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.
* Penalties of ₹1,09,60,000 have been imposed on 28 coaching institutes.
* **Requirements for Coaching Institutes:**
* Coaching institutes must ensure truthful and transparent disclosure of information in their advertisements.
* They are required to discontinue misleading claims.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Vision IAS**
* **Impact:** Financial penalty of ₹11 lakh and reputational damage due to misleading advertising practices.
* **Action Required:** Cease misleading advertisements, ensure truthful and transparent disclosure of information, and pay the imposed penalty.
**Stakeholder: UPSC Aspirants and Parents**
* **Impact:** Potential to be misled by inaccurate information, affecting their decision-making process when choosing coaching institutes and programs.
* **Action Required:** Exercise caution and conduct thorough research before relying on advertisements from coaching institutes. Evaluate claims critically and seek independent verification.
**Stakeholder: Other Coaching Institutes**
* **Impact:** Increased scrutiny of advertising practices by the CCPA.
* **Action Required:** Review and ensure compliance with advertising regulations and guidelines to avoid penalties. Strictly ensure truthful and transparent disclosure of information in their advertisements.
Key Entities Referenced
Consumer Protection Act, 2019: The law under which Vision IAS was penalized for misleading advertisements.
Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA): The regulator that imposed the penalty on Vision IAS.
Vision IAS: The coaching institute penalized for misleading advertisements regarding UPSC Civil Services Examination results.
UPSC Civil Services Examination: The examination for which Vision IAS provided coaching and made misleading claims about results.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
CCPA imposes ₹11 lakh penalty on Coaching
Institute for misleading advertisements on UPSC
Civil Services Examination results
प्रव तथ: 25 DEC 2025 3:04PM by PIB Delhi
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹11 lakh on Vision IAS
(AjayVision Education Private Limited) for publishing misleading advertisements on its official website
concerning the results of the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022 and 2023, in violation of the
Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The institute had advertised claims such as “7 in Top 10 & 79 in Top 100 selections in CSE 2023” and “39
in Top 50 selections in CSE 2022”, prominently featuring the names, photographs and ranks of successful
candidates.
Upon examination, the CCPA found that while the institute disclosed the specific course opted by Mr.
Shubham Kumar (AIR 1, UPSC CSE 2020) namely, GS Foundation Batch (Classroom Student), it
deliberately concealed information regarding the courses chosen by other successful candidates whose
names and photographs were displayed alongside him on the same webpage.
This concealment created a misleading impression that all the remaining candidates were also enrolled in
the GS Foundation Batch Classroom Course, which was not the case. Additionally, in the same
advertisement, the institute prominently promoted its “Foundation Course,” which involves fees running
into lakhs of rupees. Such conduct had the effect of inducing students to enroll in the institute’s
programmes on the basis of false, inflated, and unverified claims.
After a detailed investigation, the CCPA found that the institute claimed 119+ successful candidates in
UPSC CSE 2022 and 2023. However, only three candidates had enrolled in foundation courses, while the
remaining 116 candidates had opted for services such as Test Series for Preliminary and Mains
examinations, Abhyaas tests (one-time tests), and Mock Interview programmes. This deliberate
concealment of material information misled aspirants and parents into believing that Vision IAS was
responsible for the candidates’ success across all stages of the UPSC Civil Services Examination, thereby
constituting a misleading advertisement under Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The Authority further observed that the institute’s advertisements on its official website, featuring
successful candidates’ names and photographs along with tall claims, were misleading. By projecting such
claims without proper authorisation or consent from the students, the institute misled prospective
aspirants. Unlike print media, a website is accessible globally and remains available for an extended
period. It is also the primary platform through which aspirants, particularly in the digital era, research
coaching institutes, evaluate their claims, and make informed choices.
CCPA also noted that Vision IAS had earlier been proceeded against for publishing misleading
advertisements. Despite regulatory intervention and caution, the institute continued to make similar
claims in its subsequent advertisements, demonstrating a lack of due diligence and regulatory compliance.In view of the recurring nature of the violation, the present instance was treated as a subsequent
contravention, warranting the imposition of a higher penalty in the interest of protecting consumers.
The Authority further noted that in highly competitive examinations such as the UPSC Civil Services
Examination where lakhs of aspirants invest substantial time, effort, and financial resources such
incomplete and selective disclosures mislead students and parents by creating false expectations regarding
outcomes and the effectiveness of coaching services.
So far, the CCPA has issued 57 notices to various coaching institutes for misleading advertisements and
unfair trade practices. Penalties amounting to ₹1,09,60,000 have been imposed on 28 coaching institutes,
along with directions to discontinue such misleading claims.
The Authority has emphasized that all coaching institutes must strictly ensure truthful and
transparent disclosure of information in their advertisements, enabling students to make fair and
informed academic decisions.
(Final Order is available on the Central Consumer Protection Authority website: https://doca.gov.in/ccpa/o
rders-advisories.php?page_no=1)
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