New Delhi. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on Shankar IAS Academy for misleading advertisements related to the 2022 Civil Services Examination. The CCPA, led by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare, said on Sunday that it found that the coaching institute had made false claims about its success rate and the nature of courses taken by successful candidates.
Shankar IAS Academy, in its advertisement for the 2022 UPSC civil services exam, claimed that “336 out of 933 selected at all-India level”, “40 candidates in top 100”, and “two candidates from Tamil Nadu have qualified, out of which 37 have studied at Shankar IAS Academy”. The institute also promoted itself as the ‘best IAS academy in India’.
However, the CCPA found that Shankar IAS Academy “deliberately concealed” information about the specific courses taken by the successful candidates it advertised for.
“This practice results in consumers being lured into purchasing paid courses advertised by coaching institutes,” the CCPA said in a statement. The regulator’s investigation revealed that of the 336 candidates declared successful, 221 had only attended the free interview guidance programme, while others had attended various short-term or specific courses instead of the full course.
The academy also claimed credit for candidates who had purchased the preliminary exam courses to prepare for the next year’s exam, possibly after the 2022 exam. The CCPA said that more than 10 lakh candidates apply for the prestigious civil services exam every year, making UPSC aspirants a vulnerable consumer segment. The action comes as part of a wider crackdown on misleading advertisements by coaching institutes, with the CCPA issuing notices to several organisations for similar activities.