Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties on two coaching institutes in Rajasthan’s Sikar for allegedly publishing misleading advertisements and engaging in unfair trade practices related to NEET and IIT-JEE examination results.
“Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, Motion Education has been fined Rs 10 lakh, while Career Line Coaching (CLC), Sikar, has been penalised Rs 5 lakh. The action was taken to protect students and parents from misleading promotional practices in the coaching sector, and to ensure transparency in advertisements related to educational services,” the consumer protection body said in a statement on Friday.
CCPA chief commissioner Nidhi Khare and commissioner Anupam Mishra passed the order after observing that the coaching institutes made tall claims and prominently used the names, photographs, and achievements of successful candidates in IIT-JEE and NEET examinations while concealing important information regarding the specific courses opted by such candidates.
In the case of Motion Education, the authority examined advertisements linked to IIT-JEE and NEET 2025 results published on the institute’s website, social media platforms and newspapers. The advertisements included claims such as “51.02 per cent qualified students in JEE Advanced” and “91.2 per cent qualified students in NEET”.
However, investigations conducted by the Director General (Investigation) reportedly found that many featured students were enrolled in “I-Eklavya” courses, a specialised rankers’ programme offered free of cost to selected students through screening tests and interviews.
According to CCPA, the advertisements did not disclose this information and instead promoted paid classroom and residential programmes alongside student achievements. The investigation also found that some students featured in promotional material had reportedly joined the institute after their examinations had already concluded.
The authority further noted that the institute allegedly failed to provide documentary proof supporting several claims made in the advertisements.
The regulator said it has so far issued more than 60 notices to coaching institutes across the country over misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices linked to examinations such as UPSC, IIT-JEE, NEET and RBI recruitment tests.
Following investigations, penalties exceeding Rs 1.39 crore have been imposed on 31 coaching institutes, it said.
The authority said misleading advertisements in the education sector directly affect students and families who invest significant time and financial resources in competitive examination preparation.
Meanwhile, both the institutes have reportedly challenged CCPA orders before National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
