CCPA Imposes ₹3 Lakh Penalty on IITian’s Prashikshan Kendra Pvt. Ltd. (IITPK) And 45 Others for Misleading IIT-JEE Result Claims
CCPA Imposes ₹3 Lakh Penalty on IITian’s Prashikshan Kendra Pvt. Ltd. (IITPK) And 45 Others for Misleading IIT-JEE Result Claims
Pune, February 14, 2025: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹3 lakh on IITian’s Prashikshan Kendra Pvt. Ltd. (IITPK) for publishing misleading advertisements regarding IIT-JEE results. The action was taken under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, to curb false claims that mislead students and parents.
46 Notices Issued to Coaching Institutes; ₹77.6 Lakh Penalties Levied
So far, CCPA has issued 46 notices to various coaching institutes for deceptive advertisements. Penalties totaling ₹77.6 lakh have been imposed on 24 institutes, with directives to cease such misleading promotions.
The order against IITPK was issued by CCPA Chief Commissioner Smt. Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Shri Anupam Mishra, highlighting violations of consumer protection norms.
🚫 False Claims of National-Level Toppers:
- IITPK’s advertisements featured titles like “IIT Topper” and “NEET Topper” with prominent ranks such as ‘1’ and ‘2’, misleading students into believing these were All India Ranks.
- In reality, the students were only toppers within the institute, not at the national level.
- The misleading visuals targeted students aged 14–17 (Classes 7–12), potentially influencing their decisions under false pretenses.
🚫 Deceptive IIT Rank Claims:
- The institute advertised having produced “1384 IIT Ranks in 21 years”, implying that 1384 students entered IITs.
- CCPA’s investigation revealed that the list included students from various institutions, including IIITs, NITs, BITS, and private colleges like MIT Pune and VIT Vellore.
- The phrase “IIT Ranks” was deemed misleading, as it falsely suggested exclusive IIT admissions.
🚫 Unverified Success Rate Claims:
- Advertisements boasted claims such as:
- “Highest success ratio year after year”
- “Best success ratio for 21 years”
- “61% Success Ratio”
- CCPA found no supporting data or third-party verification for these claims.
- During hearings, IITPK stated that clarifications were provided during webinars and counseling sessions. However, CCPA ruled that the misleading claims were made in public advertisements without proper context or disclaimers.
CCPA’s Stand on Misleading Practices:
The CCPA found that IITPK concealed critical information that would have helped students make informed decisions. The penalty aims to protect students from false claims and unfair trade practices.
