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It often starts with a friendly call, a "free counselling session" or a scholarship test result that looks surprisingly good. Then come a price, a deadline and an EMI form. In December 2021 the Ministry of Education warned that some edtech companies were "luring parents in the garb of offering free services" and getting payment mandates signed or auto-debit switched on, "especially targeting the vulnerable families." Here are the questions to ask on that call, and the signs that tell you to end it.
What should you ask about the free demo?
The same Ministry of Education advisory tells parents to avoid auto-debit for subscriptions, because a child can end up using paid features without realising the free part has ended. Ask:
Can my child use the actual course for a few days, not a sample video?
Can we do that without card details, a UPI mandate or auto-debit?
Will the teacher in the demo be the one who teaches my child's batch?
Which board and exam syllabus does it follow, chapter by chapter?
After the demo, ask your child to explain one idea back to you in their own words. Our 20-minute guide to trying an AI tutor with your child gives a simple way to run that test.
What should you ask about refunds and contracts?
Get everything in writing before you pay. Ask:
Please email me the refund policy. If we stop after two weeks, or after three months, how much comes back, and how fast?
Is the fee fixed for the whole course, or can it change?
Will I get a tax invoice?
Does anything I sign let you use my child's name, photo or results in your ads?
According to the consumer regulator's announcement of the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisement in Coaching Sector, 2024, students' names, photos or testimonials can be used in ads only with written consent obtained after the student's success. The guidelines also ban false claims about fees, refund policies, selection rates and guaranteed selections, and they apply to every person engaged in coaching, which they define to include academic support, tuition and study programmes.
Is the course being paid for with a loan?
Ask directly: "Is this an EMI from you, or a loan from a bank or finance company? Which lender? Please send me the Key Fact Statement." The 2021 advisory says plainly: "Do not sign up for any loans of which you are not aware."
The Reserve Bank of India's Digital Lending Directions, 2025, issued in May 2025, required lenders to give borrowers a Key Fact Statement and a cooling-off period of at least one day to exit a digital loan without penalty, though the lender could keep a reasonable one-time processing fee if it was disclosed upfront in the Key Fact Statement. The RBI has since withdrawn that notification, so ask the lender to confirm the current cooling-off period. Also ask what happens to the loan if you cancel the course, and get both answers in writing.
Which pressure tactics mean you should walk away?
The consumer regulator's 2023 guidelines list 13 specified "dark patterns", including false urgency, drip pricing and bait and switch. The 2024 coaching guidelines also target "a false sense of urgency or scarcity, such as implying limited seats or exaggerated demand." End the call if you hear:
"This price is only valid till tonight" or "Only three seats left."
A price that keeps growing as extras are added during the call.
A request to pay, sign or read out an OTP before you have seen the terms.
A guaranteed rank or selection, or toppers' stories you cannot check.
A request to talk to your child alone to "motivate" them.
For questions to ask a physical centre, see how to evaluate a coaching institute before you pay the fee. If you are still deciding whether you need paid help at all, read coaching, online classes or self-study for JEE.
What if you have already paid or signed?
If a loan is involved, check today whether you are still inside its cooling-off period.
Write to the company asking for cancellation and a refund, and keep every email, receipt and message.
The Ministry of Education advisory asks parents to record evidence of spam calls or forced sign-ups so they can file a grievance.
Complain to the National Consumer Helpline on 1915 (8 AM to 8 PM), on WhatsApp at +91 8800001915, or on its website.
Between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024, the National Consumer Helpline helped coaching students get back ₹1.15 crore in unpaid refunds at a pre-litigation stage, without going to court, according to the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Whatever you buy, judge it by what your child can do after a session, not by the pitch. If you are comparing AI tools, see how Fermi's AI tutor works out what your child already knows and builds a plan for the session, then ask us the same questions you would ask anyone else.
