“Drishti IAS in its advertisement prominently claimed ‘216+ selections in UPSC CSE 2022’ along with names and photographs of successful candidates,” the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement. Photo: X/@drishtiias
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹5 lakh on coaching institute Drishti IAS (VDK Eduventures Pvt. Ltd.) for publishing misleading advertisements based on the results of the civil services examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in 2022.
“Drishti IAS in its advertisement prominently claimed ‘216+ selections in UPSC CSE 2022’ along with names and photographs of successful candidates,” the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement in New Delhi on Friday (October 3, 2025).
‘Concealed crucial information’
The Ministry said, upon examination, the CCPA found that the claim was misleading and the institute concealed crucial information regarding the type and duration of courses opted by these candidates.
“The investigation revealed that out of the 216 candidates claimed by Drishti IAS, as many as 162 candidates (75%) had only taken the free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP) of the Institute, after independently clearing the Preliminary and Mains stages of UPSC CSE. Only 54 students were enrolled in IGP+ other courses. This deliberate concealment of important information misled aspirants and parents into believing that Drishti IAS was responsible for their success in all stages of UPSC examination, which is a misleading advertisement under Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019,” the Ministry said.
This is the second penalty imposed on Drishti IAS for similar conduct. Earlier in September 2024, the CCPA had fined the coaching institute ₹3 lakh and directed it to discontinue the misleading advertisements.
Published – October 03, 2025 10:02 pm IST
