CCPA Fines Dikshant IAS and Abhimanu IAS for Misleading Ads
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Two leading IAS coaching institutes penalised for false claims, unauthorized use of toppers’ photos, and deceptive advertising practices under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
By TRH News Desk
New Delhi, November 1, 2025 — The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹8 lakh each on Dikshant IAS and Abhimanu IAS for misleading advertisements, unauthorized use of UPSC toppers’ photos, and violation of consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The action followed complaints from successful candidates whose names and photographs were falsely used in promotional materials. The CCPA, led by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra, found both institutes guilty of deceptive practices.
In Dikshant IAS’s case, UPSC topper Mini Shukla (AIR 96, 2021) reported that her image was used without consent. The institute’s claim of “200+ Results in UPSC CSE 2021” could not be substantiated — it produced only 116 enrolment forms and failed to prove any tie-up with Chahal Academy, with whom it claimed to jointly run mock interviews.
Similarly, Abhimanu IAS used the photo of Natasha Goyal (AIR 175, 2022) without permission and made unverified claims such as “2200+ Selections since Inception” and “10+ Selections in IAS Top 10.” The CCPA found that most of these results dated back to 2001–2012 and lacked documentary proof.
The Authority ruled that such omissions mislead aspirants and violate their right to truthful information. So far, the CCPA has issued 57 notices and imposed penalties totaling ₹98.6 lakh on 27 coaching institutes for similar offenses.
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