NEW DELHI: The Centre has introduced new guidelines aimed at curbing misleading advertisements by coaching institutes. These guidelines specifically target false claims made by coaching centres, such as 100% selection rates or guaranteed job security.
The final set of guidelines, developed by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), follows numerous complaints filed on the National Consumer Helpline. To date, the CCPA has issued 54 notices and imposed penalties totaling approximately Rs 54.60 lakh.
"We have observed that some coaching centres deliberately hide critical information from students. As a result, we have released these guidelines to help guide those involved in the coaching industry," said Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare.
Khare emphasized that the government is not against coaching centres, but it is crucial that their advertisements do not violate consumer rights.
According to the new rules, coaching centres are prohibited from making false claims about course offerings, faculty credentials, course duration, fee structures, refund policies, selection rates, exam rankings, or guaranteed job security. The guidelines define "coaching" to include academic support, education, and study programmes, but exclude counselling, sports, and creative activities.
Coaching centres are also banned from using the names, photographs, or testimonials of successful candidates without obtaining written consent after the candidate has been selected. Additionally, they are required to clearly display disclaimers and provide important course details.
Khare also advised prospective students to check the specifics of the courses that successful candidates were enrolled in, noting that many UPSC candidates clear the exams on their own and only seek guidance for the interview stage from coaching centres.
The new guidelines, titled 'Prevention of Misleading Advertisement in Coaching Sector,' apply to all types of advertising related to academic support, education, guidance, and tuition services, but do not cover counselling, sports, or creative fields. Coaching centres must also accurately represent their services, facilities, and the credentials of the courses they offer. All courses must be properly recognized by the appropriate authorities, such as the AICTE or UGC.
These provisions are in addition to existing laws, and any violations will attract penalties under the Consumer Protection Act.
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