The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties of ₹8,00,000 each on Dikshant IAS and Abhimanu IAS for issuing misleading advertisements and engaging in unfair trade practices. The final decision was made under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, aimed at safeguarding student rights and promoting transparency in education services. CCPA’s investigation was prompted by complaints from successful UPSC candidates whose names and pictures were used in these institutes’ ads without their consent, falsely introducing them as beneficiaries of the institutes’ comprehensive programmes.
Dikshant IAS claimed “200+ Results in UPSC CSE 2021,” featuring candidates’ images but failed to disclose which specific courses those students enrolled in. The Authority found Dikshant IAS could only provide 116 actual enrolment forms, falling short of its advertised numbers. Further, there was no written agreement with the jointly advertised Chahal Academy, and essential details about the interview guidance programme were concealed. CCPA concluded this conduct constituted a violation of Sections 2(28) and 2(47) of the Consumer Protection Act for misleading advertisements and hiding material information.
Unsubstantiated Success Claims and Concealed Facts:
The investigation revealed that both Dikshant IAS and Abhimanu IAS deliberately concealed crucial information regarding course participation by successful candidates. Dikshant IAS wrongfully took credit for overall UPSC success, while its actual association was limited to mock interviews and not the entire preparation journey. Such misleading statements have the potential to unfairly influence thousands of aspirants investing time, effort, and money in hopes of replicating these success stories.
Abhimanu IAS advertised “2200+ Selections since Inception,” “10+ Selections in IAS Top 10,” and “1st Rank in HCS/PCS/HAS,” prominently using images and names of successful candidates. However, many of these claims were old, some dating back to 2001–2012, with only two top-10 selections in 2018, mainly for students who only attended interview guidance. Claims of “2200+ Selections” and “1st Rank” were neither substantiated nor clarified as to which exams these successes referred, misrepresenting the institute’s actual contribution.
Consumer Rights and CCPA’s Corrective Actions:
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 guarantees students and consumers the right to truthful information, essential for making informed decisions. Misleading advertisements not only deceive but also exploit consumer aspirations in a sensitive field like education. The CCPA’s in-depth investigation proved that both institutes engaged in unfair practices by exaggerating their results and withholding material facts about the actual courses taken by successful candidates, violating Section 2(9) and other provisions of the Act.
Authorities also investigated other conduct, such as using successful students’ names and photos without consent and distributing mock interview content that was never actually delivered. These deceptive tactics were found to interfere with students’ choices, inflate the institute’s reputation, and cause financial and emotional loss to aspiring candidates.
Broader Action Against Misleading Coaching Institutes:
The order against Dikshant IAS and Abhimanu IAS is part of a larger crackdown: CCPA has issued 57 notices so far to various coaching centres over unfair and deceptive advertising tactics. Penalties totalling ₹98.6 lakh have been imposed on 27 coaching institutes, with specific directions to discontinue such misleading practices immediately. The CCPA also urged successful candidates to promptly report instances where their name or photograph is used falsely. This robust approach aims to bring greater honesty and integrity to the fast-growing competitive exam coaching sector in India.
