Guidelines explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Coaching institutes advertise on results: ranks, selections and success rates. The CCPA's 2024 guidelines for the coaching sector say what an institute must not claim, what it must disclose and when it may use a successful candidate's name or photograph. Guidelines 1 and 2 set the scope and definitions, guideline 3 lists six kinds of misleading claim, guideline 4 lists the obligations, and guidelines 5 to 7 deal with other laws, removal of difficulties and contravention.
The guidelines were issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on 13 November 2024 under section 18 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. They use the endorser definition of the 2022 guidelines on misleading advertisements, explained in the article on guidelines 1 to 3 of those guidelines. This article takes the coaching guidelines as amended up to 3 October 2026 (no amendment listed by the CCPA). Later amendments should be checked on the CCPA website.
The guidelines apply to all forms of advertisements by any person, including an endorser, engaged in the coaching sector. A person who runs or administers a coaching centre or provides coaching is engaged in a misleading advertisement if it makes false claims about courses, faculty, fees or refunds, false claims about selections, ranks or success rate, or false promises of selection, job security, promotion or salary rises. An advertisement must disclose rank, course name and duration and use the same font for disclaimers as for claims. A successful candidate's name, photograph, testimonial or video needs written consent taken after the selection.
Institutes and their marketing agencies that plan results-based advertising can ask for compliance advisory support on disclosure, consent and substantiation before a new season's campaign.
The notification and its reasons
The notification of 13 November 2024 records that the Authority has observed that coaching institutes make false or misleading advertisements to promote the sale of goods or services and engage in deceptive or unfair trade practices, and that some deliberately conceal important information and make false promises likely to mislead consumers. It then makes the guidelines under section 18. The Act's provision on the Authority's powers is in the article on section 18.
Guideline 1: title, commencement and application
The guidelines may be called the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisement in Coaching Sector, 2024. They come into force on the date of their publication. They "shall apply to all forms of advertisements by any person including an endorser engaged in coaching sector". "All forms" includes hoardings, newspapers, websites, social media, videos and printed brochures.
Guideline 2: definitions
| Term | Meaning in short |
|---|---|
| Act | The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 |
| Advertisement | As defined in section 2(1) of the Act |
| Coaching | Includes academic support, imparting education, guidance, instructions, study programme or tuition or any other activity of similar nature; does not include counselling, sports, dance, theatre and other creative activities |
| Coaching Center | Includes a center established, run or administered by any person for providing coaching to more than fifty students |
| Central Consumer Protection Authority | The Central Authority established under section 10 of the Act |
| Competent Authority | An officer notified by the appropriate government |
| Endorser | As in clause 2(f) of the 2022 Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements |
| Misleading Advertisement | As defined in section 2(28) of the Act |
| Person | As defined in section 2(31) of the Act |
Words not defined take the Act's meaning. Two points matter in practice. First, "coaching" excludes counselling and the creative and sporting activities named. Second, "Coaching Center" is defined as including a centre for more than fifty students, which is a feature of the definition. The guidelines' conditions in guideline 3 apply to "any person who establishes, runs, administers coaching center or provides coaching", so an individual tutor providing coaching is also within guideline 3 on its words.
Guideline 3: what makes an advertisement misleading
A person who establishes, runs or administers a coaching centre or provides coaching "shall be said to be engaged in misleading advertisement" if he does any of the following.
| Clause | Conduct |
|---|---|
| (a) | Makes false claims regarding course or courses offered, duration of completion, credentials of faculty, fee, or course exit policy including fee refund |
| (b) | Makes false claims regarding the number of selections, rank in an examination or success rate |
| (c) | Makes false claims such as promising selection, job security, job promotions, salary increase, success at different stages of an examination, admission to any institution, or leads the consumer to believe that enrolment in coaching will ensure a good rank or high marks |
| (d) | Falsely represents that the services are of a particular standard or quality |
| (e) | Creates a false sense of urgency, including falsely stating or implying urgency or scarcity, or showing false popularity of goods or services, so as to mislead a person into making an immediate purchase or taking immediate action |
| (f) | Engages in any other unfair trade practice or misleading advertisement |
Clause (c) is the one with the most commercial bite. An institute cannot say or imply that enrolment will secure selection, a job, a promotion or a particular rank. An invented example: Shikhar Classes prints "Join now, only five seats left, selection assured" on a banner, although it has many seats. The banner falls within clause (c) and clause (e), because it promises selection and creates false scarcity.
Clause (e) matches the dark patterns that the CCPA addressed in 2023; the article on false urgency and related patterns explains them.
Guideline 4: obligations
Guideline 4(1): what an advertisement must do
Any person engaged in coaching, while making an advertisement, shall:
- (a) disclose important information such as the rank secured, the name and duration of the course, and whether such course is paid, with the candidate's photograph (the clause reads "whether such course is paid with the candidate's photograph");
- (b) display the disclaimer and other important information prominently, with the font of the disclaimer and important information the same as that used in the claim;
- (c) accurately represent the service, facilities, resources and infrastructure of the coaching centre;
- (d) truthfully represent, if applicable, that the courses are duly recognised and have the approval of a competent authority such as the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) or the University Grants Commission (UGC);
- (e) maintain transparency in making an advertisement; and
- (f) (every coaching centre) endeavour to become a partner in the convergence process of the National Consumer Helpline of the Central Government.
Clause (a) matters for results advertising: if the advertisement features a topper, it must say the rank, the course the person took and its duration and whether it was a paid course. Clause (b) is the same-font rule that the 2022 guidelines apply to disclaimers; see the article on guidelines 8 to 11. Clause (d) means that a claim of recognition or approval must be true. The helpline convergence in clause (f) is for the centre to pursue; the guideline gives no timeline. The general helpline post is the National Consumer Helpline overview.
Guideline 4(2): consent of successful candidates
Any person engaged in coaching "shall not use name, photographs, testimonial or videos of successful candidate in an advertisement without candidate's written consent. The consent in this regard shall be taken subsequent to the selection."
Two conditions: the consent must be written, and it must be taken after the selection. A consent form signed at admission, before the result, does not meet the guideline. An invented example: Vikas, a candidate, signs a general photo-use form on enrolling. After his result, the institute wants to use his photograph. The institute must take fresh written consent after the selection.
Guidelines 5 to 7
- Guideline 5: the guidelines are in addition to and not in derogation of any other law for the time being in force.
- Guideline 6: if any difficulty arises in giving effect to the guidelines, the Authority may make provisions not inconsistent with the Act that appear necessary or expedient to remove the difficulty.
- Guideline 7: the provisions of the Act apply for any contravention of the guidelines.
The articles on section 21 and sections 88 and 89 explain the Act's consequences. This article quotes no penalty.
Linking the coaching guidelines with the 2022 guidelines
The general validity conditions in the 2022 guidelines, such as truthful representation and substantiation, apply to coaching advertisements as well, because the coaching guidelines add to and do not displace them. See the article on guideline 4. For setting up an institute, see the guide on how to start a coaching institute.
Need help with coaching advertisements?
Results advertising draws the most attention in this sector. Our compliance advisory team can review your claims, your toppers' consent forms and your disclaimers against guidelines 3 and 4, so you can advertise results without avoidable risk.
Key takeaways
- The guidelines apply to all forms of advertisements by any person engaged in coaching, including endorsers.
- Guideline 3 lists six misleading practices: false course, faculty, fee and refund claims; false selection, rank or success claims; false promises of selection, job or rank; false quality claims; false urgency; and other unfair practices.
- Advertisements must disclose rank, course name and duration and display disclaimers in the same font as the claim.
- A candidate's name, photograph, testimonial or video needs written consent taken after the selection.
- Recognition and approval claims must be truthful.
- The Act applies to any contravention.
Read next
- Guidelines 1–3 of the Misleading Advertisements Guidelines, 2022
- Guideline 4: conditions for a valid non-misleading advertisement
- Guidelines 8–11: children-targeted advertisements, prohibited advertisements and disclaimers
- How to start a coaching institute in India
Disclaimer: Based on the rules, regulations and guidelines named above as published in the Gazette of India or on the CCPA website, with the amending notifications the article names (consulted on 3 October 2026). Later amendments, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provisions referred to, State rules and CCPA advisories should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.