Triumphant Institute of Management Education Private Limited (T.I.M.E.) - T.I.M.E. CAT 2023 Results

Recommendation: Not Upheld | Medium: Industry Member

The ASCI had approached the advertiser for its response in addressing the grievances of the complainant and forwarded the details of the complaint, verbatim, to the advertiser with a request to respond to the same. The advertiser was offered an option to seek an Informal Resolution (IR) of the complaint by modifying or withdrawing the claims in the advertisement, or alternately to substantiate the claims with supporting data. The advertiser was also offered an opportunity for a telecon with the ASCI Secretariat, which they did not avail and submitted their response. The advertiser in their response stated that, “The above results have been certified by a reputed Chartered Accountancy Firm …….. They have thoroughly audited and verified the results of all the 2565 T.I.M.E. students who received final admission offers through CAT 2023 from different IIMs for the 2024-26 session. These are 2565 unique students who have received final admission offer from at least one of the 13 IIMs whose results were publicly available and included in our validated results. As always, our latest results of CAT 2023 are available on our website along with the IIM-wise selection table as per our policy of transparently displaying the final results each year. The same can be accessed at https://www.time4education.com/CAT-MBA/TIME-CAT-Results/CAT-2023”. As claim support data, the advertiser submitted the following documents – (1) CA certificates having result validation for the claims made, (2) Excel file having data of students and their results. The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) viewed the Website advertisement (https://www.time4education.com/index.php) considered the complaint, and the advertiser’s response along with the claim support data. The CCC took note of the advertiser’s response that, “these are 2565 unique students of T.I.M.E. who had enrolled for taking coaching for CAT and other MBA entrances who have been selected for admission to the Post Graduate Programmes of various Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) for the session 2024-26 through CAT 2023. These students have received final admission offer from at least one of the IIMs”. The CCC observed that the above results have been certified and verified by a Chartered Accountancy Firm. The CCC discussed that the advertiser has provided a CA certificate of October 2024 which mentions the audit method and validation process of selection. The CA certificate states that they were provided with enrolment forms and fee receipts of these selected 2565 students, and they have checked the relevant results of these students declared by IIM on the websites of the relevant IIMs. The CA further carried out additional procedure by telephonically inquiring with students about their enrolment with T.I.M.E., and their selection by the IIM. The CCC further discussed that this CA certificate carries an annexure which shows the number of selections of students into various IIMs. The advertiser has also shared data of 2565 students which gives details such as their names, T.I.M.E. ID number, date of birth, CAT 2023 registration number, and their final selections into the IIMs. The CCC acknowledged the advertiser's response, noting that while the announcement of final admission offers/results by various IIMs began in April-May 2024, the CA firm had completed the validation process for the first phase of 2115 T.I.M.E. students. The advertiser has provided a CA certificate of July 2024, which certifies that these students have been selected for admission to the post graduation programme of various IIMs for 2024-2026 batch through CAT 2023. Based on the advertiser’s response along with the supporting data provided, the CCC concluded that the claims, “2565 CAT success stories. With one clear winner T.I.M.E.”, and “2565* T.I.M.E. students into the IIMs in CAT 2023 & counting…..”, were substantiated. The said claims are not in contravention of Chapter I of the ASCI Code. This complaint was NOT UPHELD