CCPA issues notices to coaching centres for false claims, unfair practices

CCPA stated that the action pertains to institutions offering coaching for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Thursday warned coaching institutions against making misleading claims and engaging in unfair trade practices. The consumer protection authority said that a number of coaching centres have been found flouting the Prevention of Misleading Advertisement in the Coaching Sector guidelines.

 

These guidelines prohibit coaching centres from making false or misleading advertisements or claims to promote their services and from engaging in deceptive or unfair trade practices.

 

“Following the recent declaration of results for examinations such as IIT-JEE (Indian Institute of Technology-Joint Entrance Examination) and NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test), the CCPA observed that coaching centres were not adhering to the guidelines,” the consumer protection authority said in a statement.

 

 

The CCPA further said that it had issued notices to 49 coaching centres in the past three years and imposed penalties of ₹77.6 lakh on 24 centres for making misleading claims and engaging in unfair trade practices in the same period.

 

While the names of the coaching centres that have received notices were not made public, the consumer protection body said the centres were involved in coaching for JEE and NEET.

 

The CCPA’s notices to coaching centres deal with claims pertaining to guaranteed placements, assurance of ranks in JEE and NEET, violation of consumer rights, and misleading advertisements as well as non or partial fee refunds after cancellation of admission and deficiency in services.

 

Last year, the CCPA had fined three coaching centres offering training for Union Public Service Commission examinations for misleading advertisements about their success rates in the civil services exam. 

UNDER SCANNER

 

* CCPA observed coaching centres were not adhering to the guidelines

 

* In past three years, it had imposed penalties of ₹77.6 lakh on 24 centres

 

* Centres were involved in coaching for JEE and NEET

 

* Last year, the CCPA had fined three coaching centres offering training for UPSC