Consumer Rights Class 10 NCERT Solutions, PYQs & Notes

Ans: Rules and regulations are required in the marketplace to protect consumers from widespread exploitation and unfair trade practices. Individual consumers are often weak and powerless against large companies.
Examples of exploitation:
1. A shopkeeper weighing less than what the consumer pays for.
2. Selling adulterated or defective goods (like mixing stones in rice or selling expired medicines).
3. False advertising or spreading false information through media to attract buyers.

Ans: I will look for the Agmark logo. Agmark is the certification mark employed on agricultural products in India, assuring that they conform to a set of standards approved by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection. Looking for this mark ensures that the honey and the biscuits are of good quality and safe for consumption.

Ans: The most significant legal measure taken by the Indian Government was the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act (COPRA) in 1986. This act led to the setting up of a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery at the district, state, and national levels specifically to solve consumer disputes. Another major step was the Right to Information (RTI) Act in 2005, which empowered citizens to seek information from government departments.

Ans: Factors causing consumer exploitation include:
1. Lack of awareness: Consumers do not know their rights or where to complain.
2. Illiteracy: Ignorance prevents consumers from reading MRPs, expiry dates, or terms and conditions.
3. Limited competition: When there is a monopoly (only one seller), they dictate prices and quality.
4. Deceptive advertising: Large companies with huge wealth manipulate the market and mislead consumers through false ads.

Ans: A consumer is any person who buys goods or avails services for a consideration (money) which has been paid or promised. It includes anyone who uses the goods with the approval of the buyer, but does not include people who buy goods for commercial/resale purposes.

Ans: Before the movement, the market principle was 'Caveat Emptor' (Let the buyer beware). If a consumer bought a defective product, it was considered the consumer's fault for not checking properly. The seller took no responsibility once the good was sold.

Ans: Till the 1970s, consumer organizations were mostly restricted to writing articles and holding exhibitions. They gradually formed groups to look into malpractices in ration shops and overcrowding in public transport. Eventually, their continuous pressure led to the enactment of COPRA in 1986.

Ans: A common example is a defective pressure cooker. If the safety valve is faulty, the cooker might burst and cause severe injuries or death to the consumer. The manufacturer is liable for this violation of the Right to Safety.

Ans: MRP protects the consumer under the 'Right to be Informed'. It ensures that the seller cannot charge more than the printed price on the package. Consumers can even bargain with the seller to buy the product at less than the MRP.

Ans: Suppose you want to buy a specific brand of toothpaste, but the shop owner forces you to buy a toothbrush along with it, saying they are only sold as a set. This denies you the right to choose only the toothpaste.

Ans: These are voluntary organizations formed by citizens to guide consumers on how to file cases in consumer courts. They create awareness and sometimes receive financial support from the government for creating awareness among the people.

Ans: No, it is not compulsory to hire a lawyer in a consumer court. The process is designed to be simple, and consumers can represent themselves and argue their own cases.

Ans: The ISI mark is a certification mark for industrial products in India (like electrical appliances, cement, LPG cylinders). It ensures that the product conforms to Indian standards and is safe to use.

Ans: Hallmark is the official mark used on gold and silver jewelry in India. It guarantees the purity of the precious metal and protects consumers from being cheated by jewelers selling impure alloys.

Ans: While it is not compulsory for all producers to get certification, it is mandatory for products that affect the health and safety of consumers. Examples include LPG cylinders, food colors and additives, cement, and packaged drinking water.

Ans: The process can be burdensome because it often involves multiple court hearings and takes a lot of time. Also, many times consumers do not have cash memos (bills) because most purchases in small retail are cash-based, making it hard to gather evidence.

Ans: It means that every consumer has the right to acquire knowledge and skills to be an informed consumer throughout life. Ignorance of rights is the main cause of exploitation, so the government promotes awareness through campaigns like "Jago Grahak Jago."

Ans: National Consumers' Day is celebrated on 24th December every year. It is celebrated on this day because it was on December 24, 1986, that the Indian Parliament enacted the Consumer Protection Act (COPRA).

Ans: In an NCERT case study, Rege suffered due to anesthesia given by an unqualified doctor during a tonsil removal surgery, leaving him crippled for life. His father filed a case in the State Consumer Commission, which directed the hospital to pay ₹5 lakh as compensation for medical negligence.