ASCI issues draft advertising guidelines for education sector; invites public consultation

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) on Tuesday released a revised draft of the advertising guidelines for the education sector. ASCI also invited public consultation to frame a set of updated guidelines for the industry.

These updated guidelines are intended to guarantee that students are not stereotyped on the basis of gender or appearance, and that those who score poorly are not depicted as failed or failures.

What are the proposed changes?

Advertisements must also not show those who secure average or low scores as demotivated, despondent, dissatisfied or receiving less respect from their parents, teachers, or classmates, as per a statement by the advertising body.

ASCI also noted that commercials must not show students forsaking sleep or food in order to study and that a student's health must be taken into consideration.

Moreover, instilling a false feeling of urgency or fear of losing out, which may exacerbate parental or student concerns about education, will be deemed a breach of the ASCI code. These guidelines will apply to all educational institutions, from universities, colleges, and schools to coaching courses, edtech platforms, and others that provide education and training programmes, it said in a statement.

“Unlike most other products, education cannot be tangibly measured,” Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI, said. “It is critical that, in addition to being truthful and compliant with Chapter I of the ASCI Code, advertisers must consider any harm that can be caused through depictions or messages to young, impressionable minds.”

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The updated guidelines will go a long way to ensure that emerging fields within the sector like edtech can be harnessed for good, the CEO and Secretary General of ASCI noted.

ASCI has recommended these suggestions in an amendment to its “Guidelines for Advertising of Educational Institutions, Programmes and Platforms”. The guidelines ensure that advertisements by the sector do not undermine the well-being of students. Public consultation for the guidelines will continue until April 15.

“It is critical that marketing communication in this sector is honest and does not harm consumers through its portrayals or content,” the regulator added.

This year, the education sector has contributed to 27% of objectionable ads that ASCI processed (traditional education 22% and edtech 5%). A recent EdNext study conducted by ASCI also revealed that 49% of parents chose edtech platforms based on advertising.