NCERT Solutions: Consumer Rights

Table of Contents
1. Page - 77
2. Page - 78
3. Page - 79
4. Page - 81
5. Page - 82
6. Page - 84
7. Page - 87
View more

Page - 77

Q1. What are the various ways by which people may be exploited in the market?

Ans. People may be exploited in the market through several unfair practices. These include:

• Selling defective goods: For example, a consumer might purchase a product that does not work as advertised or breaks down soon after purchase. Sellers sometimes refuse to repair or replace such goods.
• Adulteration: Sellers might mix inferior substances with products like food items, reducing their quality and posing health risks. This hides the true quality and harms consumers.
• Overcharging: Some sellers may charge more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) or add hidden charges such as extra service fees without informing the customer.
• Misleading advertisements: Advertisements might provide false or exaggerated claims about a product's benefits, causing consumers to make decisions based on wrong information.
• Weight manipulation: Shopkeepers may use faulty weighing scales to give less quantity than what the consumer pays for, thereby cheating on quantity.
• Denial of after-sales service: Manufacturers or dealers may refuse to provide promised warranty or service, leaving consumers without remedy.

Q2. Think of one example from your experience where you thought that there was some 'cheating' in the market. Discuss in the classroom.

Ans. Once, I bought a packaged juice that was advertised as "100% pure" on the front label. However, when I read the fine print on the back, I found it contained only 30% real juice and the rest was water, sugar, and preservatives. This felt like cheating because the prominent claim did not match the actual contents listed. Discussing such examples in the classroom can help raise awareness, encourage careful reading of labels and foster habits like checking ingredients and expiry dates before buying.

Q3. What do you think should be the role of government to protect consumers?

Ans. The government should play a proactive role in protecting consumers through the following measures:

• Regulation and Monitoring: Implement and enforce clear regulations to ensure product quality and safety and monitor compliance.
• Consumer Education: Run awareness campaigns and provide simple information about consumer rights, label reading and safe purchase practices.
• Redressal Mechanisms: Establish accessible and efficient consumer redressal forums at district, state and national levels where consumers can lodge complaints and seek quick remedies.
• Standardization: Ensure that products meet standards set by certification bodies like Agmark, ISI and FSSAI, and make these standards visible to consumers.
• Penalties for Violations: Impose meaningful penalties and corrective actions on businesses that engage in unfair trade practices to deter future violations.
• Regular Inspections: Conduct periodic inspections of manufacturing and retail units to detect and prevent unsafe or fraudulent practices.

Page - 78

Q1. What could have been the steps taken by consumer groups?

Ans. Consumer groups could:

• Educate consumers about their rights: Organise workshops, distribute leaflets and run awareness drives so that people know how to identify unfair practices.
• Provide legal support: Help consumers prepare and file complaints, and provide guidance or legal aid when needed.
• Lobby for stronger laws: Petition the government for better consumer protection laws and effective implementation.
• Monitor and report: Keep watch on market practices, conduct surveys and report violations to authorities and the public.
• Represent consumers in disputes: Act on behalf of affected consumers in forums and courts to obtain remedies.
• Collaborate with government agencies: Work together with regulators to improve enforcement and to design consumer-friendly policies.

Q2. There may be rules and regulations but they are often not followed. Why? Discuss.

Ans. Rules are often not followed due to:

• Lack of awareness: Consumers and some small businesses may not know the rules or their rights.
• Weak enforcement: Regulatory bodies may lack sufficient staff, resources or authority to enforce rules effectively.
• Corruption: Corrupt practices can allow violators to escape penalties.
• Judicial delays: Long delays in courts discourage consumers from pursuing complaints.
• Economic pressures: Small producers or sellers may cut corners to reduce costs and remain competitive.
• Consumer apathy: Fear of harassment, time involved or belief that complaining will not help leads many consumers to remain silent.
• Complex regulations: Complicated rules make compliance difficult for small traders.

Page - 79

Q1. For the following products/services discuss what safety rules should be observed by the producer?

(a) LPG cylinder
Ans.

• Ensure cylinders meet safety standards: Use certified materials and follow prescribed manufacturing norms.
• Regularly inspect for leaks and damage: Test valves, regulators and joints before distribution.
• Provide clear usage instructions and emergency procedures: Attach simple labels on handling, storage and what to do in case of a leak or fire.

(b) Cinema theatre
Ans.

• Ensure proper fire safety measures and exits: Provide clearly marked emergency exits and fire extinguishers.
• Maintain structural safety: Regularly check seating, stairways and roofs for wear and damage.
• Service electrical systems: Inspect wiring and lighting to reduce the risk of short circuits or fire.

(c) Circus
Ans.

• Ensure humane treatment and safety of animals: Follow rules for animal care and avoid practices that endanger either animals or performers.
• Inspect equipment for performers: Secure ropes, nets and props and check them before every show.
• Maintain audience safety: Provide barriers, clear exits and first-aid arrangements.

(d) Medicines
Ans.

• Follow manufacturing and storage standards: Maintain hygiene, controlled temperatures and avoid contamination.
• Clearly label expiry dates and instructions: State dosage, precautions and side effects in simple language.
• Conduct thorough quality checks: Test batches for purity and effectiveness before sale.

(e) Edible oil
Ans.

• Ensure purity and absence of harmful additives: Use proper refining methods and test for adulteration.
• Label manufacturing and expiry dates: Include storage instructions and nutritional information.
• Maintain hygienic production: Keep the processing and packing area clean to avoid contamination.

(f) Marriage pandal
Ans. 

• Ensure structural safety and stability: Use certified materials and proper anchoring to avoid collapse.
• Provide proper electrical installations: Use qualified electricians and safe wiring to prevent shocks and fires.
• Implement fire safety measures: Keep extinguishers, clear aisles and marked exits for emergencies.

(g) A high-rise building
Ans.

• Follow building codes and structural standards: Design and construct according to approved engineering norms.
• Install and maintain fire safety systems: Fit alarms, sprinklers and clear evacuation plans.
• Inspect elevators and mechanical systems: Carry out routine maintenance and display safety instructions for users.

Q2. Find out any case of accident or negligence from people around you, where you think that the responsibility lay with the producer. Discuss

Ans. In a recent incident, a neighbour's washing machine caused a fire due to a manufacturing defect. The machine's motor overheated, igniting the surrounding plastic. The manufacturer had not issued a recall or warning despite reports of similar faults. This negligence led to significant property damage and inconvenience. The producer's responsibility included ensuring safe design, issuing recalls when defects are found, and informing customers promptly. Affected consumers should seek redressal through the appropriate consumer forum or the company's grievance mechanism.

Page - 81

Q1. When we buy commodities we find that the price charged is sometimes higher or lower than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) printed on the pack. Discuss the possible reasons. Should consumer groups do something about this?

Ans. The price charged may vary due to reasons like additional local taxes, transportation or handling costs, packaging differences, or sellers offering discounts. At times, dishonest sellers charge more than the MRP by adding hidden service charges or refusing to show the packed price. Consumer groups should act by creating awareness about MRP rules, monitoring shops, educating shoppers to demand printed prices and bills, and reporting violations to consumer protection authorities so that such practices are checked.

Q2. Pick up a few packaged goods that you want to buy and examine the information given. In what ways are they useful? Is there some information that you think should be given on those packaged goods but is not? Discuss.

Ans. Information such as manufacturing and expiry dates, ingredients, nutritional facts, net quantity, and usage instructions help consumers choose safe and suitable products. Useful additional information that should be present includes clear allergen warnings, the country or place of origin of key ingredients, customer care contact number, and environmental disposal instructions. This extra information increases transparency and helps consumers make informed choices.

Q3. People make complaints about the lack of civic amenities such as bad roads or poor water and health facilities but no one listens. Now the RTI Act gives you the power to question. Do you agree? Discuss.

Ans. Yes. The Right to Information (RTI) Act allows citizens to request information from public authorities about budgets, contracts, maintenance schedules and official actions. By using RTI, citizens can learn who is responsible for civic services, how funds are being spent and why works are delayed. This transparency helps hold officials accountable and can lead to better delivery of services when citizens follow up on the information obtained.

Page - 82

The following are some of the catchy advertisements of products that we purchase from the market. Which of the following offers would really benefit consumers? Discuss.

Ans.

1. 15 gm more in every 500 gm pack:

   • Benefit: Consumers get additional product for the same price, effectively lowering the cost per gram. This is a direct and certain benefit with no hidden conditions.

2. Subscribe for a newspaper with a gift at the end of a year:

   • Benefit: Regular readers saving on the subscription and receiving a gift may gain value, provided the subscription cost is reasonable and the gift is delivered as promised.

3. Scratch and win gifts worth Rs 10 lakhs:

   • Benefit: This depends on chance. While exciting, most customers do not win large prizes, so actual benefit to a typical consumer is small.

4. A milk chocolate inside a 500 gram glucose box:

   • Benefit: This is useful if the consumer wants both products. Otherwise it may be wasteful or irrelevant to some buyers.

5. Win a gold coin inside a pack:

   • Benefit: Like other prize schemes, this is uncertain and mainly serves as a marketing gimmick; only a tiny fraction of buyers may actually benefit.

6. Buy shoes worth Rs 2000 and get one pair of shoes worth Rs 500 free:

   • Benefit: This offers an immediate and guaranteed saving for consumers who need two pairs of shoes; it is a straightforward discount-like benefit.

Conclusion: The offers that provide immediate and guaranteed extra quantity or free goods - such as "15 gm more in every 500 gm pack" and "Buy shoes worth Rs 2000 and get one pair of shoes worth Rs 500 free" - are more likely to benefit most consumers. Schemes based on winning prizes are less reliable and usually benefit the seller by attracting customers without offering a real benefit to everyone.

Page - 84

Q1: Arrange the following in the correct order.
Ans. The correct order of events is:

1. (g) She purchases a wall clock from a retail outlet.
2. (c) She realises that the dealer has given her defective material.
3. (e) She goes and complains to the dealer and the Branch office, to no effect.
4. (b) She engages a professional person.
5. (a) Arita files a case in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
6. (d) She starts attending the commission proceedings.
7. (f) She is asked to produce the bill and warranty before the commission.
8. (h) Within a few months, the dealer was ordered by the commission to replace her old wall clock with a brand new one at no extra cost.

Page - 87

Q1. Why are rules and regulations required in the marketplace? Illustrate with a few examples.
Ans. Rules and regulations are required in the marketplace to protect consumers. Sellers often try to avoid responsibility for poor-quality products, cheat in weighing goods, add extra charges over the retail price, or sell adulterated and defective goods. Rules protect scattered buyers from powerful producers or sellers who might otherwise exploit them. For example, a grocery shop owner might sell expired products and then blame the customer for not checking the date; regulations compel sellers to display correct dates and allow consumers to seek redress.

Q2. What factors gave birth to the consumer movement in India? Trace its evolution.
Ans. There are several factors that led to the consumer movement in India:

• It began as a social force to protect consumer interests against unfair and unethical trade practices.
• Severe food shortages, hoarding, black marketing and widespread adulteration in the 1950s and 1960s pushed people to organise for protection.
• Till the 1970s, consumer organisations mainly wrote articles and held small exhibitions to raise awareness.
• From the 1980s onwards, there was a steady rise in active consumer groups concerned with ration shop malpractices and public service deficiencies.
• In 1986, the Government of India enacted the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (COPRA), a major milestone that provided legal remedies and set up consumer courts at district, state and national levels.

Q3. Explain the need for consumer consciousness by giving two examples.
Ans. Consumer consciousness means being aware of one's rights and responsibilities while buying goods or services. Examples:

• Customers who check prices and labels often get correct quantities and better deals; for instance, bargaining or checking MRP prevents overcharging.
• When consumers insist that shops weigh goods correctly and do not accept containers' weight being counted as product weight, shops follow honest practices and stop short-weighting.

Q4. Mention a few factors which cause exploitation of consumers.
Ans. Exploitation of consumers is caused by several factors. Producers and sellers often seek easy ways to increase profits; selling adulterated or low-quality goods lowers production cost and raises margins. Low literacy and lack of awareness among consumers make it easy to cheat them. Sellers sometimes blame manufacturers to avoid responsibility, and in areas where consumer rights are not known or enforcement is weak, exploitation becomes widespread.

Exploitation of Consumer

Often, when consumers are not in the habit of checking the retail price on packing, sellers add extra charges or overprice goods. Where awareness of consumer rights and COPRA is low, such practices continue unchecked.

Q5. What is the rationale behind the enactment of Consumer Protection Act 1986?
Ans. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986, was enacted to protect consumers against unfair trade practices and exploitation. It provides a legal framework for speedy and inexpensive redressal of consumer complaints. The Act recognises rights such as the right to be informed, the right to choose, the right to seek redressal and the right to be represented before consumer forums.

Consumer Protection

It introduced Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions at the district, state and national levels to resolve complaints and enforce consumer rights.

Q6. Describe some of your duties as consumers if you visit a shopping complex in your locality.
Ans. Some duties as a consumer when visiting a shopping complex are:

• Check expiry and manufacturing dates before buying packaged goods.
• Pay only the MRP printed on the pack and ask for a receipt or bill.
• Inspect goods where possible to ensure they are not defective or damaged.
• Refuse to accept short measures or incorrect weights and report such practices.
• If cheated, register a complaint with the shop, consumer forum or appropriate authority with evidence like bill and product packaging.

Q7. Suppose you buy a bottle of honey and a biscuit packet. Which logo or mark you will have to look for and why?
Ans. While buying honey or biscuits, look for recognised quality marks such as Agmark (for certain agricultural products) and the FSSAI logo which certifies food safety standards. These marks indicate that the product has been tested and follows regulatory quality norms, giving consumers confidence about its purity and safety.

Q8. What legal measures were taken by the government to empower the consumers in India?
Ans. Key legal measures include:

• Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (COPRA): Created a legal mechanism for consumer redressal and established consumer courts at three levels.
• Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI): Allows citizens to seek information from public authorities, improving transparency in delivery of public services.
• Under COPRA, consumers can appeal to state and national commissions if dissatisfied with district-level orders, thus providing a clear appellate structure.

Rights of Consumer as per COPRA in 1986

These measures together strengthened the position of consumers and provided accessible channels for complaint resolution.

Q9. Mention some of the rights of consumers and write a few sentences on each.
Ans. Some important consumer rights are:

• Right to be informed: Consumers should receive accurate information about products, including ingredients, price and expiry, so they can make safe choices.
• Right to choose: Consumers should be free to select from a variety of goods and services at competitive prices.
• Right to seek redressal: Consumers have the right to file complaints and obtain compensation if they suffer due to defective or unsafe products or unfair practices.
• Right to be heard/represented: Consumers can form groups and present their views and grievances before appropriate authorities or consumer forums.

 Consumer Rights

The right to choose allows a consumer to continue or discontinue a product or service. The right to seek redressal helps consumers obtain remedy and compensation when wronged.

Q10. By what means can the consumers express their solidarity?
Ans. Consumers can express solidarity by:

• Forming consumer groups and associations to raise awareness and organise collective action.
• Writing articles, holding exhibitions and campaigns to expose unfair trade practices.
• Helping other consumers file complaints and representing them before consumer forums.
• Collaborating with government agencies and using legal tools like RTI to demand better services.

Such collective action strengthens consumer voice and leads to better protection for all.

Q11. Critically examine the progress of consumer movement in India.
Ans. The consumer movement in India has made important progress since it began. Awareness among consumers has increased and the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 provided legal teeth to the movement. The establishment of district, state and national consumer forums has offered accessible avenues for redressal. Consumer groups have become more active in highlighting malpractices.

However, challenges remain. The redressal process can still be slow, costly and complicated for many people. There are numerous small consumer organisations, but only a few (about 20-25) are well organised and effective. Strengthening enforcement, speeding up dispute resolution and expanding organised support at the grassroots will help the movement grow further.

Q12. Match the following.

Ans: