The Central Consumer Protection Authority ( CCPA ) has imposed Rs. 3 lakh fine on a coaching institute for providing misleading advertisement claims on IIT-JEE results. It has imposed a penalty of Rs. 77 lakhs 60 thousand on 24 coaching institutes.
According to the press information provided by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, 46 notices have been issued to various coaching institutes so far. At present, Rs. 3 lakh fine was imposed on IITian’s Prashikshan Kendra Pvt. Ltd. (IITPK) for misleading advertisements.
The CCPA, led by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra, found IITPK guilty of violating the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The institute’s advertisements falsely implied national-level achievements by using misleading titles like “IIT Topper” and “NEET Topper,” alongside bold numbers ‘1’ and ‘2’ next to candidate names and photos.
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However, these students were merely toppers within the institute, not at the national level. The deceptive presentation influenced students and parents into believing the institute consistently produced top-ranking candidates.
Further, the institute claimed to have produced “1384 IIT Ranks in the past 21 years,” misleading consumers into assuming all these students secured IIT admissions. Upon investigation, the CCPA found that the list included students placed in various institutions, such as IIITs, NITs, BITS, and private universities like Manipal, VIT, and MIT Pune.
Similarly, the institute advertised exaggerated success ratios, including claims like “Highest success ratio year after year” and “Success Ratio at 61%,” without any supporting data or third-party verification.
During hearings, IITPK argued that these claims were clarified in webinars and counseling sessions, but the CCPA held that the advertisements lacked such disclosures, misleading potential students and parents.
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