CCPA Issues Guidelines to Tackle Misleading Ads in Coaching Sector, Protects Students’ Rights

New Delhi, November 14 – The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has released new guidelines to curb misleading advertisements in the coaching sector, aimed at protecting students and the public from deceptive practices often used by coaching centers. Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare announced the guidelines, emphasizing CCPA’s commitment to safeguarding consumers by ensuring transparency and accountability in educational marketing.

Khare highlighted that the CCPA will collaborate with industry stakeholders, consumer organizations, and regulatory bodies to enforce these guidelines under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, bringing clarity to stakeholders and preventing exploitative practices in the sector.

The guidelines address common issues like false promises and unfair contracts, and are intended to ensure that students and parents make informed choices. CCPA’s recent actions include issuing 45 notices to coaching centers and imposing a penalty of Rs 54.60 lakh on 18 institutes, directing them to halt deceptive advertising.

In response to a growing number of complaints on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) regarding unfair practices, such as non-refunded enrollment fees, CCPA facilitated the return of Rs 1.15 crore to affected students between September 2023 and August 2024. The refunds were processed promptly through pre-litigation interventions, benefiting students across the country.