The Central Consumer Protection Authority on Wednesday released guidelines for coaching centres regarding the misleading advertisements by the centres, including enforcing the use of name, photographs, testimonials, or videos of successful candidates without their written consent.

The guidelines, defined as prevention of misleading advertisement in coaching sector, 2024, will come into force from the date of publication, i.e. November 13.

Signed by chief commissioner of the authority, Nidhi Khare, the guidelines prohibit coaching centres from making advertisements with false claims about —

• Courses offered, duration of courses, credentials of faculties, fees, exit policies and fee refunds
• Success rates, candidate ranks, number of selections
• Guaranteed selection, job security and promotions, salary increment, admissions, promising good rank/high marks
• Standards of quality
• Sense of urgency or scarcity to services to prompt immediate action

The advertisement guidelines by the government also mandates the coaching institutes to disclose —

• Important information of the ranks, name, duration of courses, whether the course was paid, with candidate’s photograph
• Display disclaimers in legible way, in the same font used for the claim
• Accurately represent the services, facilities, resources, and infrastructure offered
• Courses approved by All India Council for
• Technical Education (AICTE), University Grants Commission (UGC), if any

The guidelines also stated that “any person who is engaged in coaching shall not use name, photographs, testimonial or videos of successful candidate in an advertisement without candidate’s written consent.”

The content, according to the government, should be taken right after the selection.