LI Network
Published on: October 25, 2023 at 12:57 IST
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) launched a significant crackdown on IAS coaching institutes due to their engagement in deceptive advertising.
The CCPA issued notices to 20 such academies and imposed fines of Rs 1 lakh each on two entities.
The CCPA pointed out that the UPSC examination consists of three stages: prelims, mains, and interviews. However, it observed that most of the rank holders featured in the institutes’ advertisements had only received mock interview training from these coaching centers.
The institutes in question had presented an inflated number of rank-holding students as their alumni.
The CCPA’s order imposed fines of Rs 1 lakh each on IQRA IAS and Chahal Academy, as well as on Rau’s IAS. As for Unacademy, the CCPA has reserved its order and is expected to issue it within a day or two, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Rau’s IAS has lodged an appeal against the CCPA’s order with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). Additionally, IAS Baba has obtained a stay order against the notice issued by the CCPA, sources noted.
Investigations and hearings are ongoing for all other institutes at various stages. Some of the prominent IAS coaching institutes under investigation include Drishti IAS, BYJU’s IAS, Vajirao & Reddy, Vision, and Yojana, among others.