Practice Questions: Consumer Rights

Q1: Name the quasi-judicial machinery, which is set up at the highest level for redressal of consumer disputes.
Ans: National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (National-level consumer court).

Q2: On which day is 'National Consumer's Day' celebrated every year in India?
Ans: 24th December

Q3: If any damage is done to a consumer by a trader, under which consumer right one can move to consumer court to get compensation.
Ans: Right to Seek Redressal

Q4: Which logo would you like to see on gold jewelry to be sure of its quality? 
Ans: Hallmark

Q5: How has three tier quasi-judicial machinery been set up for redressal of consumer disputes? Explain.
Ans: Under the Consumer Protection Act (COPRA), a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery has been set up to deal with consumer disputes at three levels:
- District Forum: Deals with complaints where the value of goods or services and compensation claimed does not exceed Rs. 20 lakh.
- State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission: Handles cases where the claim is more than Rs. 20 lakh but does not exceed Rs. 1 crore.
- National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission: Takes up cases where the claim exceeds Rs. 1 crore.
Consumers can appeal from the district forum to the state commission and from the state commission to the national commission if they are not satisfied with the orders.

Q6: How did consumer movement originate as a 'social force' in India? Explain.
Ans: The consumer movement in India grew as a social force because ordinary people faced widespread exploitation and had little protection. Key reasons were:
- Severe shortages of essential goods, hoarding and black marketing which harmed common people.
- Adulteration and poor quality of food and other products that threatened public health.
- Lack of a legal system to protect consumers and limited awareness of consumer rights.
- Initially, consumer groups wrote articles and held exhibitions to inform people; later they began to take collective action.
- The movement gained a major push when the Government passed the Consumer Protection Act (COPRA) in 1986, giving consumers legal rights and remedies.

Q7: How does the right to safety help consumers? Explain with an example.
Ans: The Right to Safety protects consumers from goods and services that are hazardous to life and property. It requires producers to follow safety standards and give clear instructions for safe use.There are many goods and services, that we purchase require special attention to safety. For example, a pressure cooker must have a working safety valve. If the valve is defective, it can cause a serious accident. Manufacturers must ensure such safety devices work properly, and consumers should read and follow the instructions on the product and report defects.

Q8: Explain the 'Right to Choose' with an example.
Ans: The Right to Choose means a consumer should be free to select from a variety of goods and services at competitive prices. Sellers should not force customers to buy a particular product or a package. For example, if a shopkeeper refuses to sell a toothbrush unless the buyer also buys a specific toothpaste, this behaviour denies the consumer's right to choose.

Q9: Explain the 'Right to seek redressal' with an example.
Ans: Consumers have the right to seek redressal against unfair practices and exploitation. If any damage is done to a consumer, he or she has the right to get a compensation, depending on the degree of damage. There is need to provide an easy and effective public system by which this can be done. For example, Pihu had sent a money order to her village for her sister's marriage. The money did not reach her sister at the time when she needed it, nor did it reach months later. So, Pihu filed a case in the district level consumer court and practised her right to seek redressal.

Q10: Explain with an example how one can exercise the right to choose.
Ans: To exercise the Right to Choose, a consumer can compare products, prices and brands before buying, and refuse any tie-sell or forced purchase. For example, if a shopkeeper says a toothbrush will be sold only together with a particular toothpaste, the consumer should refuse and buy the toothbrush elsewhere or demand separate sale. Keeping bills and asking questions about alternatives also helps to protect this right.

Q11: Explain with an example the impact of the Right to Information Act.
Ans: The Right to Information (RTI) Act (enacted in 2005) gives citizens the right to obtain information about the functioning of public authorities, which increases transparency and accountability. For example, Shalini applied under the RTI when her son's admission to the local school was refused. The RTI helped her obtain the reasons for refusal; on investigation, it was found the reason was not genuine and the school was ordered to admit her son. RTI thus helps check misuse of power, brings clarity to decisions and can reduce corruption.

Q12: What precautions do you suggest for a consumer to take while purchasing medicines from the market?
Ans: The precautions a consumer should take while purchasing medicines are:

• Check the expiry date on the medicine pack before buying.
• Read the label for directions of use, dosage, composition, side effects and risks.
• Buy medicines from a licensed pharmacy and always ask for a cash memo or bill as proof of purchase.

Q13: "The consumer movement arose out of dissatisfaction of the consumer." Justify the statement with arguments.
Ans: The consumer movement began because people were unhappy with market practices. The reasons include:

• Consumers were dissatisfied with unfair trade practices by producers and sellers.
• There was no effective legal system to protect consumers from exploitation.
• Rampant shortages, hoarding, black marketing and adulteration of food and edible oil threatened consumers' wellbeing.
• Consumers lacked awareness of their rights, so movement leaders began educating and organising them.

Q14: Explain with examples 'Right to Information' to the consumers.
Ans: Under the Right to Information consumers are entitled to clear information about the goods and services they buy. Producers must display details such as ingredients, date of manufacture and expiry date. These details help consumers in several ways:

• If a product becomes defective within the expiry period, the consumer can ask for replacement or refund.
• If a seller charges more than the printed price on the packet, the consumer can challenge the seller and demand the correct price.

Q15: "Markets do not work fairly when producers are few and powerful whereas consumers are scattered and purchase in small amounts." Support the statement.
Ans: Markets may be unfair when:

• Producers are few and powerful, allowing them to control supply and prices.
• Consumers buy in small quantities and are scattered, so they lack bargaining power.
• Limited competition and information lets producers exploit consumers.

Q16: Explain why a consumer should learn to be well-informed.
Ans: A consumer should be well-informed because:

• An informed consumer knows how to claim and defend his or her rights.
• They are less likely to be cheated by shopkeepers or traders.
• They can approach the correct institutions to seek redressal.
• They can check whether government provisions and certification marks are being followed.
• An informed consumer makes rational choices and gets better value for money.

Q17: Explain any three factors that gave birth to the Consumer Movement in India.
Ans: The main factors that led to the Consumer Movement in India are:

• Dissatisfaction with unfair trade practices by producers and sellers.
• Absence of a legal system earlier to protect consumers from exploitation.
• Rampant shortages, hoarding, black-marketing and adulteration of essential goods.

Q18: 'Consumer awareness is essential to avoid exploitation in the marketplace.' Support the statement.
Ans: Consumer awareness helps to prevent exploitation because:

• Consumers who know their rights and the law can take action when wronged.
• Active consumers force companies to maintain quality and fair practices.
• Awareness helps consumers spot anti-social activities like hoarding and black marketing.
• It enables consumers to understand certification marks such as ISI and Agmark, which indicate quality.
• Awareness allows use of tools like the RTI to obtain information from public bodies.

Q19: Why are rules and regulations required in the marketplace? Explain.
Ans: Rules and regulations are necessary in the marketplace because:

• Traders may indulge in unfair practices such as underweight, undermeasurement and adulteration.
• Many consumers are unaware of their rights and can be easily deceived.
• Sellers often try to shift responsibility to the buyer when complaints are raised.
• Misleading claims about product quality are common in advertisements.
• Artificial scarcity created by hoarding and black marketing raises prices unfairly.
• Some sellers supply sub-standard or adulterated goods to increase profit, harming consumers.

Q20: How does the Government of India protect the interests of consumers? Explain with five examples.
Ans: The Government of India protects consumers in several ways. Examples include:

• Formulating rules and regulations to safeguard consumer interests.
• Enforcing these rules so producers and sellers maintain minimum quality standards.
• Setting up a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery (district, state and national) for redressal of consumer disputes.
• Enacting the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, which provides rights and remedies to consumers.
• Running awareness campaigns such as Jago Grahak Jago and supporting Consumer Protection Councils that educate consumers through articles and exhibitions.

Q21: How is the consumer redressal process becoming cumbersome? Give four reasons.
Ans: The consumer redressal process can be cumbersome because:

• Many times consumers need to engage a lawyer, which becomes expensive.
• Filing cases and attending court proceedings take time and may be difficult for ordinary people.
• Often cash memos or bills are not issued, making it hard to collect proof needed in court.
• The existing laws and procedures for awarding compensation are sometimes unclear and time-consuming.

Q22: Explain any four ways in which consumers are exploited in the market.
Ans: The ways consumers are exploited in the marketplace include:

• Limited information: Consumers need full details about price, quality, composition, date of manufacture and expiry to decide correctly. Lack of information makes exploitation easy.
• Limited competition: When there are few producers, they can control supply and manipulate prices.
• Limited supply: If supply is less than demand, prices may rise and hoarding may occur, harming consumers.
• Adulteration: Mixing undesirable material in food or goods causes monetary loss and health risks to consumers.
• Sub-standard goods: Inferior or fake products (for example, spurious medicines or unsafe electrical items) are sold as genuine and can be dangerous.