Govt clamps down on coaching-centre ads featuring civil-services exam toppers
₹58,088 crore, of which civil-services-exam coaching contributes ₹3,000 crore, according to the CCPA report. Delhi is considered the hub for civil-services-exam coaching. In the letter, which Mint has also seen, the CCPA suggested that DoPT enforce the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 for all candidates who continue to feature in ads for coaching classes and as their brand ambassadors for the whole year.
The conduct rules clearly state that no government servant will engage directly or indirectly in any trade or business or undertake any employment. Citing CCPA’s report, the letter highlighted that important information, such as the course chosen by successful candidates, is deliberately concealed from consumers in advertisements. CCPA has issued notices to 20 IAS coaching institutes, including Vajirao & Reddy Institute, Sriram’s IAS and Drishti IAS, for misleading consumers by concealing important information.
For instance, Vajirao & Reddy Institute claimed that 617 students from their centre cleared UPSC exams 2022. In its reply to CCPA, it said that all of them are from the interview guidance programme, meaning none were enrolled in ‘costly’ foundation courses. UPSC civil service exams are conducted in three phases.
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