No More False Promises: Government sets rules to prevent misleading and exaggerated coaching centre ads

In a major step toward protecting students and their families, the Indian government has issued new guidelines aimed at curbing misleading advertisements by coaching centres. The Centre's crackdown addresses exaggerated claims like “100% selection” or “guaranteed job security” — promises that often lead to disappointment among students who invest time and money expecting a near-certain outcome.

Protecting consumers, not shutting down coaching

On Wednesday, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) rolled out these guidelines in response to numerous complaints from the National Consumer Helpline. According to Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare, the government’s goal is not to shut down coaching centres but to ensure their ads don’t “undermine consumer rights.”

“We have seen coaching centres deliberately concealing information from prospective students,” Khare said. “Therefore, we have come out with the guidelines to provide guidance to people involved in the coaching industry.”

So far, the CCPA has issued 54 notices to violators and imposed penalties of around Rs 54.60 lakh.

What’s prohibited?

The guidelines lay out strict boundaries on what coaching centres can — and cannot — say in their ads. Here’s what the guidelines address:

• False Claims: Ads should not make unsubstantiated promises about “100% selection” or “100% job security.”
• Course Details: No exaggerating or omitting information about courses, their duration, or outcomes.
• Faculty Credentials: Qualifications of teachers must be presented accurately, with no fake credentials.
• Fees and Refunds: All fees and refund policies must be transparent.
• Selection Rates and Ranks: Coaching centres cannot claim high selection rates or exam rankings without proof.

Additionally, they are not allowed to use successful candidates’ names, photos, or testimonials in ads without written consent from these individuals.

Khare advised students to double-check the information provided by coaching centres. “Many UPSC students clear prelims and mains on their own and take only interview guidance from coaching centres,” she explained, encouraging students to verify the course details actually taken by successful candidates.

The guidelines go beyond the broad term “coaching.” They define coaching as academic support, education, guidance, study programs, and tuition — but they exclude counselling, sports, and creative activities. The purpose of this definition is to keep the focus on academic and career-oriented programs, which are most prone to misleading ads.

Full disclosure and consequences for violators

Transparency is now mandatory, as coaching centres must display disclaimers and reveal essential course details. Facilities, infrastructure, and resources must be represented accurately, along with any required approvals or recognitions from authorities like AICTE or UGC.

Khare, who also serves as the CCPA chief, stressed that coaching centres should accurately present the service, resources, and infrastructure provided. For instance, if they advertise “fully-equipped classrooms,” the guidelines require this to be an honest description.

These guidelines come as a supplement to existing laws and are enforceable under the Consumer Protection Act. This means violators will face penalties, potentially similar to the Rs 54.60 lakh already imposed by the CCPA.

The government hopes these new standards will push coaching centres to keep their ads honest, helping students and families make better-informed decisions.

(With inputs from agencies)