The Central Government has issued guidelines to combat misleading advertisements by coaching institutes, prohibiting false promises like “100% selection” or “100% job security”.
The guidelines, developed by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), aim to address complaints filed through the National Consumer Helpline. They apply to all forms of advertising related to academic support, education, and guidance services, excluding counselling, sports, and the arts. The CCPA has sent 54 notices and imposed penalties on several coaching institutes.
What are the new coaching center advertising guidelines?
The new advertising standards prohibit coaching centers from making false claims regarding course specifics and duration, faculty qualifications, prices and refund procedures, selection rates and exam results, or job placement or pay increases.
The revised standards define ‘coaching’ as academic help, educational guidance, study programs, and tutoring services, while explicitly excluding counselling, sports, and artistic activities.
According to these guidelines, coaching centers are not permitted to use successful applicants’ names, images, or testimonials without their written authorization, which must be obtained after selection.
They must also prominently post disclaimers and give explicit course descriptions.
“Many UPSC candidates clear the preliminary and main exams independently and seek coaching only for interview preparation,” said Nidhi Khare, urging students to verify the specific courses that successful candidates were actually enrolled in.
Khare, who also leads the CCPA, emphasized that coaching centres must accurately depict their services, resources, facilities, and infrastructure.
They should also make sure that reputable organizations like the AICTE or UGC have formally recognized and approved their courses. These clauses are intended to improve consumer rights, increase openness in the coaching sector, and supplement current laws.
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Source: India Today
