CCPA formulates guidelines over misleading coaching advertisements

New Delhi, Jan 9: To curb misleading advertisements in the coaching sector, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) convened its first meeting of the Committee tasked with preparing guidelines on January 8.

Chaired by Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary Department of Consumer Affairs and Chief Commissioner of CCPA, the Committee deliberated on the draft of the guidelines aimed at addressing deceptive practices in coaching advertisements.

The Committee, consisting of members such as the Commissioner (CCPA), representatives from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), Ministry of Education, National Law University (NLU), Delhi, FIITJEE, Khan Global Studies, Ikigai Law, and Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), actively participated in the discussion.

Rohit Kumar emphasized the paramount importance of protecting consumer interests, stating that the CCPA is committed to ensuring clarity in addressing various aspects related to advertisements in the coaching sector.

He reiterated the agency's firm belief in safeguarding consumer rights and preventing the dissemination of false or misleading information regarding goods or services, contravening the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

The forthcoming guidelines will apply to all coaching institutes, whether online or physical, covering all forms of advertisements irrespective of their form, format, or medium.

These guidelines aim to define conditions under which advertisements by coaching institutes will be deemed misleading, including the concealment of crucial information related to successful candidates' courses, duration, and other relevant details. Among the stipulations, coaching institutes are prohibited from making false claims regarding success rates, job guarantees, or guaranteed success in preliminary or main examinations. The guidelines also outline specific dos and don'ts for advertisements, such as the mandatory inclusion of requisite information with successful candidate photos and the font consistency in disclaimers and claims.

It was clarified that penalties for misleading advertisements by coaching institutes will be governed by the Consumer Protection Act, of 2019. The guidelines, though clarificatory, are essential for stakeholders in adhering to consumer protection provisions. The Committee recognized the urgent need to issue the guidelines promptly, and the draft, as discussed in the meeting, is set to be released at the earliest.

CCPA had previously taken suo moto action against misleading advertisements by issuing notices to 31 coaching institutes, imposing fines on nine of them for violating consumer protection norms. The authority observed the deliberate concealment of important information and misleading claims by some coaching institutes, prompting this decisive regulatory action.