The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has sought public comments by March 16 on draft guidelines for prevention of misleading advertisements in the coaching sector, said a report by PTI.
CCPA, the consumer protection regulator, has prepared draft guidelines after detailed deliberations with all stakeholders including coaching institutes, law firms, government and voluntary consumer organisations, an official statement said.
"Public comments/suggestions/feedback are solicited and may be provided to the Central Authority within 30 days (until 16th March 2024)," it added.
The CCPA said the objective of the guidelines is to protect consumers from misleading advertisements in the coaching sector and would be applicable to every person engaged in coaching.
Misleading advertisements by the coaching sector will be governed as per the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the proposed guidelines will bring clarity to the stakeholders and protect consumer interests.
Draft guidelines
The CCPA draft defines ‘coaching’ and lays out conditions that fall under misleading advertisements.
For instance, coaching institutes are not allowed to conceal information related to the name of the course (whether free or paid) and duration of course opted by successful candidates or any other important information which can influence consumers' decision to choose their services.
The draft adds that they should refrain from making false claims regarding success rates, number of selections, or rankings of students in any competitive exam without providing verifiable evidence, added PTI.
“The coaching institutes should not falsely represent that students' success is solely attributable to the coaching, without acknowledging the individual efforts of the students,” it said.
Among other conditions, the CCPA said that the coaching centres should clearly state the extent of the coaching involvement in their success.
They should not create a false sense of urgency or fear of missing out that may heighten anxieties amongst students, or parents and should not engage in any other practices that may mislead consumers or subvert consumer autonomy and choice, CCPA further added.