CBSE Class 10 Social Science Consumer Rights Important Questions Set 03

Important Questions

Question 1. Highlight any three rights of consumers.
Answer:
Right to be Informed: consumers have the right to be informed about the particulars of goods and services they purchase, so they can complain and seek compensation or replacement if a product proves defective; this right has expanded to cover government services too, with the Right to Information (RTI) Act enacted in October 2005 ensuring citizens information about government departments' functions.
Right to Choose: consumers have the right to choose a product according to their need and wish, and the right to choose whether to continue or stop a service; for example, gas dealers sometimes insist a customer buy a stove with a new connection — a consumer can legally appeal against such forced bundling.
Right to Seek Redressal: consumers have the right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices and exploitation; if damage is done to a consumer, they can get compensation depending on the degree of damage, through quasi-judicial consumer courts set up for this purpose.

Teacher's Note:
a) The right to be informed, to choose, and to seek redressal are three core consumer rights.
b) Each addresses a different kind of exploitation: lack of information, forced purchases, and unresolved damage.

Question 2. How can consumer awareness be spread among consumers to avoid exploitation in the marketplace? Explain any three ways.
Answer:
Forming various organisations, such as Consumer Forums or Consumer Protection Councils.
Guiding consumers on how to file cases in the consumer courts.
Promoting consumer education through advertisements, mass campaigns and publicity against traders' malpractices.
Writing articles, holding exhibitions and rallies.
Ensuring implementation of the various consumer laws.

Teacher's Note:
a) Consumer forums, court-filing guidance, and public awareness campaigns all spread consumer awareness.
b) Legal enforcement of consumer laws is equally essential to make this awareness effective.

Question 3. Analyse any three reasons for the beginning of the consumer movement in India.
Answer:
Shortage of consumer products.
Adulteration and black marketing.
Poor quality of many products, due to poor quality control and lack of technology.
Unpredictable availability, price and purity of products.

Teacher's Note:
a) Shortages, adulteration and unreliable product quality all fuelled the consumer movement.
b) These issues reflected a market that, left unregulated, failed to protect ordinary buyers.

Question 4. Give any three examples of different types of exploitation in the marketplace.
Answer:
Traders indulging in unfair trade practices, such as shopkeepers weighing or measuring less than they should — common with goods sold loose, like rice, flour, milk or cloth.
Traders adding charges that were not mentioned before, like handling charges or packing charges.
Selling adulterated or defective goods, or expired medicines.
Advertisements making false or exaggerated claims.

Teacher's Note:
a) Underweighing, hidden charges, defective goods and false advertising are common market exploitation tactics.
b) Consumer protection laws exist specifically to counter these practices.

Question 5. Explain the need for standardisation of products, with the help of examples from daily life.
Answer:
Standardisation is essential to save consumers from malpractice and fraudulent means.
For certain articles, an ISI mark is mandatory to ensure high quality and avoid accidents.
Medicine producers must print the date of manufacture, date of expiry, salts used, and any precautions, on the packaging.

Teacher's Note:
a) Standardisation marks like ISI guarantee a baseline quality and safety.
b) Mandatory labelling (expiry dates, ingredients) on medicines is another form of this protection.

Question 6. How do large companies manipulate the market? Explain with examples.
Answer:
Large companies, with huge wealth, power and resources, can manipulate the market in various ways.
At times, false information is passed through the media and other sources to attract consumers.
For example, a company sold powdered milk for babies worldwide for years, claiming it was more scientific than mother's milk; it took years of struggle before the company was forced to admit it had made false claims.
Similarly, a long legal battle was fought to make cigarette manufacturers accept that their product could cause cancer.

Teacher's Note:
a) Powerful companies have historically used false claims (baby formula, cigarettes) to mislead consumers.
b) Correcting these claims often required years of legal struggle, showing why consumer protection law matters.