CBSE Class 10 Social Science Consumer Rights Notes

Consumer Rights

Rights of Consumers :

Rights which are provided by law : - Right to safety

- Right to be informed - Right to choose

- Right to be heard - Right to seek redressal

- Right to consumer education.

Factors causing exploitation of Consumers :

- Limited information

- Limited supplies

- Limited competition

- Low literacy

Duties of Consumers :

- To purchase quality marked products such as ISI, AGMARK etc.

- To ask for cash memo for the items purchased whenever possible.

- To make complaint for genuine grievances consumers must know their rights and must exercise them.

Demerits of Consumer Redressal Process :

- The Consumer Redressal Process is becoming cumbersome expensive and time consuming.

- Many a time, consumers are required to engage lawyers. These cases require time for filling and attending the court proceedings etc.

- In most purchases cash memos are not issued hence evidence is not easy together.

- Most purchases in the market are small retail sales.

- The enforcement of laws that protect workers, especially in the unorganised sectors is weak.

- Rules and regulations for working of markets are often not followed.

Consumer Protection Act - 1986 (COPRA)

- To protect and promote the interest of consumers.

- Under COPRA a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery at the district, state and national levels is set up for redressal of consumer disputes.

- The district level court deals with the cases involving claims upto Rs. 20 lakhs; The State level courts between Rs. 20 lakhs and Rs. 1 crore and the national level court deals with cases involving claims exceeding Rs. 1 crore.

• Consumer is a person who buys and uses a good or service from the market after making a payment.
• Consumer International: An international umbrella organization to over 240 member organizations from over 220 countries.
• COPRA: The consumer Protection Act enacted by the government of India on 24th December 1986.
• Codex Alimentarious Commission: It was created in 1963 by food and agricultural organization.
• Right to information act 2005: This act gives rights to the citizen to have information about the government departments, their policies practices and procedures.
• MRP: It is the maximum retail price printed on packages goods. The seller cannot charge more than this price.
• ISI Mark: a certification mark for industrial products in India developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
• AGMARK: A certification mark employed on agricultural products in India by the directorate of Marketing and Inspection
• Hallmark: An official mark struck on items made of precious metals like gold silver platinum etc.
• Adulteration: Mixing unwanted substances in foods.
• Consumer Forum: The consumer movement in India has led to the formation of various organizations locally known as consumer forums or consumer protection councils. They guide consumers on how to file cases in the consumer court.

Important Questions for NCERT Class 10 Social Science Consumer Rights

Question. What factor led to the consumer movement?
Ans. The consumer movement arose out of dissatisfaction of the consumers as many unfair practices were being indulged in by the sellers.

Question. What is consumer exploitation? What are the various ways in which a consumer can be exploited?
Ans. Consumer exploitation is a situation in which a consumer is cheated or given false information by the producer.
 Exploitation in the market happens in various ways, as
(a) Underweight and under measurement: The goods sold in the market are sometimes not measured or weighted correctly.
(b) Substandard quality: Selling defective home appliances and expired medicines are its examples.
(c) High Prices: Sometimes sellers charge higher than the MRP.
(d) Duplicity: Fake and duplicate items are sold in the name of genuine goods.
(e) Adulteration and impurities: Adulteration is done in the costly items as in oil, ghee, milk, spices etc. to earn higher profits. This affects consumer’s health and their money goes waste.
(f ) Lack of safety devices: Electronic goods produced locally lack the required inbuilt safeguards, which may cause accidents.
(g) Artificial scarcity or shortage: To earn more profits sellers create artificial scarcity by hoarding and selling the same at higher price.
(h) False or incomplete information: Sellers sometimes mislead people by giving wrong information about the products, price, quality, safety, expiry date, maintenance costs etc.
(i) Unsatisfactory after-sale service: Many suppliers do not provide satisfactory after-sale service in case of expensive electronic equipments, home appliances and cars etc.
(j) Rough behaviour: Consumers are often harassed in matters like LPG and
telephone connections and in getting licensed items.

Question. Explain briefly the three-tier quasi-judicial machinery set up under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
                                   Or
What are the institutions set up under COPRA for the redressal of grievances? Explain.
                                   Or
How can a consumer get justice when his rights are denied?
Ans. Under COPRA, a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery at district, state and national levels has been setup for redressal of consumer disputes.
(i) The district level court deals with the cases involving claims up to ` 20 lakhs.
(ii) The state level courts take cases between ` 20 lakhs to ` 1 crore.
(iii) The national level court deals with the cases involving claims exceeding ` 1 crore.
If the case is dismissed at district level court, the consumer can also appeal in state and then in national level courts. Thus, the act has enabled us as consumers to have the right to represent in the consumer courts.

Question. What is the Consumer Court at the National level called?
(a) The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
(b) State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
(c) The District Forum
(d) None of the above
Ans. A

Question. Why are certain details given on the packing of a commodity?
Ans. It is because consumers have the right to be informed about the particulars of goods that they purchase.

Question. How is the consumer redressal process becoming cumbersome? Give four reasons.
Ans. The consumer redressal process is becoming burdensome because
(i) Many a time consumers are required to engage lawyers. These cases require time for filing and attending the court proceedings etc.
(ii) In most purchases cash memos are not issued hence evidence is not easy to gather.
(iii) Most purchases in the market are small retail sales. The existing laws are also not very clear on the issue of compensation to consumers injured by defective products.
(iv) The enforcement of laws that protect workers, especially the unorganised sectors is weak. Similarly, rules and regulations for working markets are often not followed.

Question. Explain the rights of a consumer as enshrined in the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
Ans. 1. Safety is everyone’s right: While using many goods and services, we as consumers, have the right to be protected against the marketing of commodities and delivery of services which are hazardous to life and property. Producers need to strictly follow the required rules and regulations. There are many goods and services that we purchase require special attention to safety. For example: pressure cookers have a safety valve which if defective can cause accident. LPG gas cylinder should be sealed and leak proof.
2. Right to be informed: When we buy a commodity, we find details given on the packing. These details are about ingredients used, price, batch no., date of manufacture, expiry date and address of the manufacturer. We have right to be informed about these information, so that consumers can complain and ask for compensation or replacement in case a product proves to be defective. These days this right has been expanded to cover various services provided by the government. In October 2005, the Government of India enacted RTI (Right to Information) Act, which ensures its citizens all the information about the functions of government departments.
3. Right to choose: Any consumer who receives a service in whatever capacity, regardless of age, gender and nature of service, has a right to choose whether to continue to receive the service.

Question. Which values are associated with consumer movement in India?
Ans. The consumer movement was the result of the extreme dissatisfaction of the consumers who were being befooled by the unfair practices of the sellers. It was felt necessary to stop their exploitation in the marketplace. It took many years to organize consumers, but once the task was done malpractices were brought to a halt. The values associated with this movement are:
(i) The consumer movement became a success in India because it was highly well-organised. It symbolises team work.
(ii) Awareness amongst people were created. It was made everyone’s responsibility to be careful while buying a commodity or service.
(iii) It was felt necessary to protect and promote the interests of consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices.

Question. Which logo would you like to see for purchasing electrical goods?
Ans. I would like to see the logo ISI for purchasing electrical goods.

Question. Describe the provision made under Consumer Protection Act, 1986, (COPRA) for redressal of consumer disputes.
Ans. Under COPRA, a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery at district, state and national levels has been setup for redressal of consumer disputes.
(i) The district level court deals with the cases involving claims up to ` 20 lakhs.
(ii) The state level courts take cases between ` 20 lakhs to ` 1 crore.
(iii) The national level court deals with the cases involving claims exceeding ` 1 crore.
If the case is dismissed at district level court, the consumer can also appeal in state and then in national level courts. Thus, the act has enabled us as consumers to have the right to represent in the consumer courts.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS: (THREE MARK)
1. What are the different ways of exploitation of consumers in the market?
• Higher price
• Quality lapse
• Underweight & under measurement

2. What are the reasons for the emergence of consumer movement in India?
• The dissatisfaction of the consumers regarding the market practices
• The gradual withdrawal of the government from production fields after the introduction of New Economic Policy.
• Increasing awareness of the people

3. Explain the three-tier quasi judicial machinery to redress the grievances of the consumers?
• District courts. The district level court deals with cases involving claims up to Rs.20 lakh.
• Redressal forums at State level. The state level court deals with cases between Rs. 20 lakh and Rs.1 crore
• Redressal forums at National level. The national level court dealt with cases which involve claims exceeding Rs.1crore.

4. What are the certifications for Quality assurance?
• ISI Mark
• AGMARK
• HALLMARK

5. How to make a complaint to the District forum
• District courts deals with cases involving claims up to 20 lakhs
• No need for lawyer
• Application can be made on plain paper.

6. What is the difference between consumer protection council and consumer court?
• The consumer protection council promotes and protects the various rights of the consumer.
• The consumer court is made to hear the cases regarding a consumer complaint.
• Consumer protection council is an advisory body, while consumer court is a quasi judiciary body.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS: (FIVE MARK)

1. What factors gave birth to consumer movement in India.

• The dissatisfaction of the consumers regarding the market practices

• The gradual withdrawal of the government from production fields after the introduction of New Economic Policy.

• Increasing awareness of the people

• Increasing unfair trade practices

• Emergences of foreign companies

2. What are the rights of the consumers?

• Right to be informed

• Right to choose

• Right to safety

• Right to seek redressal

• Right to represent

• Right to consumer education

3. What are the ways by which consumers get exploited in the market?

• Higher price

• Quality lapse

• Underweight & under measurement

• False information and promises

• Poor after sale service

• Rude behavior

• Inadequate safety measures

• Market malpractices such as adulteration black marketing, duplicate articles etc.

4. What are the reasons for exploitation of consumers?

• Lack of awareness

• Lack of information about goods & markets

• Limited supplies and competitions.

• Lack of government support to consumers

• Lack of interest on the part of the consumers in responding

• Inadequacy of consumer movement

 5. What are the salient features of COPRA 1986?

• It applies to all goods and services.

• It covers all the sections whether Private, Public or Cooperative.

• It offers various rights to the consumers.

• It establishes consumer protection councils at the central and state and district levels to promote and protect the right of the consumers.

• It provides separate three- tier quasi-judicial machinery at the national state and district levels. at the national level if is known as National Consumer Court (Commission) at the

state level ,it is known as State consumer court (commission)and at the District level ,it is called District forum.

• Provisions of the Act are compensatory in nature

6. Critically examine the progress of consumer movement in India?

• Started out of frustration of consumers against the unfair practices by the sellers

• Food shortages

• Black-marketing

• Formation of consumers group and exerting pressure on business firms and governments to correct the business activities.

• Passing of the Consumer Protection Act in 1986

7. What are the duties of the Consumer?

• Be alert about the price and quality of goods and services.

• To assert and act to ensure that he gets a fair deal.

• To organize together to promote the interest of the consumers.

• To purchase quality marked goods such as ISI, AGMARK etc.

• To insist a cash memo after every purchase.

• To make complaints for genuine grievances

8. What is the need for standardization of products?

• Every producer is liable to be prosecuted if he does not print the sale price of an article on it

• For certain articles ISI mark is essential to ensure quality and originality.

• As far as food items are concerned it is essential to indicate weight on each packet

• Date of manufacture and date of expiry is a must on medicines

• Government departments like Food and Supply, Drug Control, Weight and Measure etc conduct raids from time to time so that consumers are not cheated.

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