CCPA issues guidelines to maintain transparency in coaching sector

In a measure intended to protect the rights of consumers and maintain transparency in the coaching sector, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued a set of comprehensive guidelines to address the issue of misleading advertisements by coaching centres.

The 'Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisement in Coaching Sector, 2024,' aim to safeguard students and the public from deceptive marketing practices commonly employed by coaching centres, Mrs Nidhi Khare, Chief Commissioner, CCPA, and Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs said on Wednesday while interacting with the media.

The guidelines were drafted in the wake of growing concerns about false/misleading claims, exaggerated success rates, and unfair contracts that coaching institutes often impose on students. Such practices have been found to mislead students, influencing their decisions by concealing important information, giving false guarantees etc.

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