Important Questions for Class 10 Economics Ch 5 Consumer Rights (Social Science)
Fill in the Blanks :
1. The World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on............. . (15 March, 18 March)
Answer: 15 March
2. .................... organisation provides certification of standardisation in India. (BIS, RBI)
Answer: BIS
3. The first modern declaration about consumers' right was made in .................... . (1962, 1972)
Answer: 1962
4. Technical measured consists of ..................... of the products. (Standardisation, Verification)
Answer: standardisation
5. The first declaration about consumer's right was made in .......................... . (USA, India)
Answer: USA
Choose True or False :
1. COPRA applies to only two goods. (True, False)
Answer: False
2. Hall Mark is the certification maintained for standardisation of ghee. (True, False)
Answer: False
3. The consumer redressal process is very simple and quick. (True, False)
Answer: True
4. A consumer has the right to get compensation depending on the degree of the damage.
Answer: True
5. When a consumer feels that he has been exploited, he must file a case in the District Consumer Court.
Answer: True
Very Short Answer Type Questions
1. What do you mean by consumer ?
Answer:
Consumer is the one who pays a price for a commodity or service and uses it.
2. What is 'Consumer exploitation' ?
Answer:
When a shopkeeper cheats the consumer by giving him poor quality goods or charges more for the commodity or service, it is called consumer exploitation.
3. When was consumer awareness developed ?
Answer:
In organised and systematic way consumer awareness was developed in the late 1980s and early 1999s with the growing liberalisation of economy.
4. What is Agmark ?
Answer:
The Agmark is meant for the standardiation of the agricultural products. This is implemented under the Agriculture Produce Act 1937 as amended in 1986.
5. What is adulteration ?
Answer:
When something is added in costly items like oil, ghee and spices in order to earn higher profit it is called adulteration.
6. Mention the Rights of consumers.
Answer:
Rights of consumers are as follows :
- Right to safety
- Right to be informed
- Right to choose
- Right to heard
- Right to consumer education
7. Explain about ISO.
Answer:
International Standards Organisation (ISO) is a non-government organisation established in 1947 which works according to international agreements for the standardisation of products.
8. Explain any two duties of the consumer.
Answer:
- Consumers must know their rights and must exercise them.
- Whenever possible, consumers should ask for cash memo for the items purchased.
9. What is Public Distribution System ?
Answer:
The supply of essential commodities to the people through governmental agencies is known as Public Distribution System.
10. What does technical measure consist of ?
Answer:
Technical measure consists of standardisation of the products.
11. What is BIS ?
Answer:
It is the Bureau of Indian Standards earlier known as the Indian Standard Institution (ISI) whose headquarter is located in New Delhi. It has the responsibility of laying down the standards for the industrial and consumer goods.
12. What does legislative measure include ?
Answer:
Legislative measure includes the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act.
13. What are the strategies adopted by the government in order to protect the interest of the consumers ?
Answer:
In order to protect the interest of the consumers, the government has adopted three strategies legislative, administrative and technical.
14. When was the first modern declaration about consumers' right made ?
Answer:
The first modern declaration about consumers' right was made in USA in 1962.
15. Which is the most important right of consumers in your opinion ?
Answer:
Right to safety is the most important right of consumers because the consumers have the right to be protected against marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property.
16. Mention the organisation that provides certification of standardisation in India.
Answer:
The organisation which provides certification of standardisation in India is Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) and Agmark.
17. Name the consumer courts at the district, state and national levels.
Answer:
The consumer court at national level is called "National Consumer Commission". At the district level it is called 'District Forum' and at the state level it is called 'State Consumer Commission'.
18. When is the World Consumer Rights Day celebrated ?
Answer:
The World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on 24 December.
19. When is National Consumer Rights Day is celebrated ?
Answer:
The National Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on 24 December.
20. What is consumer awareness ?
Answer:
The understanding by an individual of his rights as a consumer concerning available products and services being marketed and sold.
21. When was the Consumer Protection Act passed ?
Answer:
The Consumer Protection Act was passed in 1986.
Short Answer Type Questions
1. Analyse the meaning of 'right to choose' provided under Consumer Protection Act.
Answer:
The meaning of right to choose provided under Consumer Protection Act means any consumer who receives a service in whatever capacity, regardless of age, gender and nature of service, has the right to choose whether to continue to receive the service. For example Mr. Ram wants to buy toothpaste and the shop owner says that she can sell the tooth paste only if he buys a toothbrush. If Ram is not interested in buying the brush, his right to choose is denied.
2. Explain with three suitable examples the meaning of 'right to be a informed' as provided under Consumer Protection Act.
Answer:
All the consumers have the 'right to be informed' about the particulars of goods and services that they purchase. The meaning of 'right to be informed' as provided under consumer protection act can be explained with the help of following examples :
- If a consumer buys a product and finds it defective well within the expiry period, he can ask for a replacement under this right.
- If people sell medicines that have expired severe action can be taken against them under this right.
- One can protest and complain if some one sells a good at more than the printed price on the packet under 'right to be informed'.
3. Why is it important for the consumers to follow their duties too ?
Answer:
It is important for the consumers to follow their duties too because the consumer should fulfil these duties in order to secure the enjoyment of the respective rights by all the consumers. Correct observance of these duties is necessary to control the manufacturers and traders to perform in a transparent manner and prevent the exploitation of the consumers.
4. Explain the standardisation of products.
Answer:
Standardisation of products is an important measure taken by the government to protect the consumers from lack of quality and varying standards of goods. In India, these standards have been achieved through 'Bureau of Indian Standards' (BIS) and Agmark which was earlier known as the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) and has the responsibility of laying down the standards for industrial and consumer goods on scientific basis and certifying the goods that meet the prescribed quality and standards.
5. Write a note on a Global History of Consumer Movement.
Answer:
The first consumer movement began in England after the second World War. Modern declaration about the consumers right was made in U.S.A in 1962, where four basic consumer rights were recognised Mr. Ralph Nadar, a consumer activist, is considered as the father of 'Consumer Movement'. March 15 is now celebrated as the World Consumer Rights Day.
6. Explain the factors causing exploitation of the consumers.
Answer:
The following are the major factors that cause exploitation of the consumers :
- Limited Information- In the absence of information about diffrent aspects of the products, the consumers are liable to make a wrong choice and lose money.
- Low Literacy - Illiteracy is one of the major drawbacks that leads to exploitation of consumers.
- Limited Supplies - The consumers are exploited when the goods and services are not available in the required quantity.
- Limited Competition - When only one producer or a group of producers controls the production and supply of a product and is in a position to restrict the availability of supplies there is a possibility of manipulation in prices and availability.
7. Attempt a brief note on COPRA.
Answer:
A major step taken in 1986 by the Indian government was the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act 1986, populrly known as COPRA. Under COPRA, a three tier quasi-judicial machinery at the district, state and national levels was set up for redressal of consumer disputes. If a case is dismissed in district level court, the consumer can also appeal in state and then in National level courts. Thus, the COPRA has enabled us as consumers to have the right to represent in the consumer courts.
8. What factors gave birth to the consumer movement in India ? Trace its evolution.
Answer:
In India, the consumer movement as a 'Social Force' originated with the necessity of protecting and promoting the interests of consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices. Rampant food shortages, hoarding, black marketing, adulteration of food and edible oil gave birth to the consumer movement in India.
9. Explain the objectives of Consumer Protection Act 1986.
Answer:
A major step taken in 1986 by the Indian Govt. was the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 popularly known as COPRA.
Objectives :
- To save consumers from exploitation.
- To guide consumers how to file case in the consumer court.
- It also represents individual consumer in the consumer court.
- To increase the awareness of the consumer.
10. What do you mean by consumer exploitation ? Discuss the methods which are used to exploit consumer.
Answer:
When a consumer is harrassed by the business community due to the lack of information about products it is known as consumer exploitation.
Following are the major methods which are used to exploit consumers.
- Limited Information - In the absence of information about different aspects of the product the consumers are liable to make a wrong choice and lose money.
- Illitracy - Illitracy is one of the major drawbacks that leads to exploitation of consumer.
- Problem of Adulteration - Consumers are exploited by making adulteration in costly edible items like oil, ghee and spices in order to earn higher profits.
11. State some rights of consumers under COPRA 1986.
Answer:
Following are the rights of the consumers
- Right to safety - The consumers have the right to be protected against marketing of goods and services, which are hazardous to life and property.
- Right to information - This includes quality, quantity, patency, purity standard and price of goods.
- Right to choose - Assurance of access to variety of goods and services of competitive price.
- Right to be heard - The consumers' interest should receive due consideration at appropriate forms relating to consumer's welfare.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. Describe the various duties of consumers.
Or
Explaint in brief any three duties of the consumer.
Answer:
The duties of the consumers as codified in the Indian laws are the following :
- Consumer must know their rights and must exercise them.
- While purchasing the goods, consumer should look at the quality of the products as well as on the guarantee of the products and services. Wherever possible, they also have to insist for the warranty card. They should preferably purchase quality marked products, such as ISI, Agmark etc.
- Whenever possible, consumer should ask for cash memo for the items purchased.
- Consumer shoud form consumer awreness organisation, which can be given representation in various committees formed by the government in matters relating to consumers.
- Consumers must make complaint for their genuine grievances. Even if the value of goods involved in their complaint is small, its impact on the society as a whole will be large.
2. 'Limited competition and limited information result in the exploitation of consumer.' Do you agree with this statement ? If yes, give two arguments in support of your answer.
Answer:
Yes, consumers are exploited due to limited information and limited competition. In a capitalist economy, producers and sellers are free to produce any goods or services in any quantity and there is no regulation on the prices. In such cases, providing full and correct information about the product to consumers is of great importance. But in the absence of information about different aspects of the products such as price, quality, competition etc. the consumers are liable to make wrong choice and lose money. When only one producer or group of producers controls the production and supply of the product and is in a position to restrict the availability of supplies, there is a possibility of manipulation in prices and availability.