New Delhi: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a ₹5 lakh penalty on Shankar IAS Academy for misleading advertisements related to UPSC Civil Services Exam 2022.

The advertisement falsely implied that all successful candidates had opted for paid courses at the academy.

The CCPA, led by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare, found that Shankar IAS Academy advertised claims like "336 selections out of 933" and "40 candidates in Top 100" without disclosing which courses the successful candidates had actually taken. The advertisement misled consumers into believing that these students had enrolled in the academy's paid programs, whereas many had only attended free guidance sessions.

The CCPA stated that the practice of concealing such crucial information violated consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Section 18 of the Act mandates that no misleading advertisements should be made for goods or services.

In its defense, Shankar IAS Academy could only provide details of 333 successful candidates, many of whom had enrolled in free or minimal-cost courses.

Furthermore, some candidates listed as successful in 2022 had actually enrolled in courses intended for the 2023 exam.

The CCPA warned other coaching institutes that advertisements must be truthful and transparent, emphasizing that misleading ads can unfairly sway vulnerable UPSC aspirants.

Notices have been sent to multiple coaching centers regarding similar deceptive practices.