SOCIAL SCIENCE PROJECT - CONSUMER AWARENESS
Acknowledgement
I would like to express my gratitude to my Social Science Teachers
Ms. Vedavathi L, Ms. Jayanti Roy and Ms. Sreelakshmi B for giving
me the golden opportunity to exhibit my skills and knowledge
through this wonderful project on the topic ‘Consumer
Awareness’. While I was researching for this project, I learned a
lot of new things which very interesting and helpful. I would also
like to extend my gratitude to my parents and my friends who
helped me a lot in adding the final touches to this project.
Index
o Who is a Consumer?
o Consumer Protection and Problems faced by Consumers
o Consumer Movement in India
o Consumer Protection Act, 1986
o Three Tier System
o Consumer Rights
o Consumer Responsibilities
o Quality Standard Marks
o Conclusion
o Bibliography
o Calendar of Activities
o Marking Scheme Page
Project
Who is a Consumer?
o A consumer is the one who purchases the product for
his/her own need and uses or consumes it. A consumer
cannot resell the good, product or service but can
consume it to earn his/her livelihood and self-
employment.
o Without consumer demand, producers would lack one
of the key motivations to produce:- to sell to
consumers.
Consumer Protection
o Consumer protection is the practice of safeguarding
buyers of goods and services, and the public, against
unfair practices in the marketplace.
Common Problems faced by a Consumer in a Market Place
o Poor Product Quality – Sellers don’t provide refund for
the actual product ordered and leave behind the low
quality product.
o Additional Charges – Handling and Shipping Charges
o Duplication of Goods – Mostly in Online Shopping
o Manipulation in Weights and Measures
o Adulteration
o No Fair Return – Not worth the money
Consumer Movement in India
o Consumer Movement in India: Many factors contributed to
the start of the Indian consumer movement. It began as a
social power with the need to safeguard the purchasers
against unreasonable and untrustworthy exchange works
being trailed by numerous retailers and makers. These
included making false deficiencies, storing grains and other
horticultural items, dark showcasing of merchandise, and
contamination of preparing oils and food things. Until 1986,
buyer associations featured issues by composing articles in
papers and magazines about these terrible acts of vendors.
The main aim of consumer movement is the protection of
the interests of consumers from certain acts of neglect
which is done by own business community.
Consumer Protection Act, 1986
o The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was an Act by the
Parliament of India elected to protect the interests of
consumers in India.
o It was made for the establishment of consumer councils and
other authorities for the settlement of consumer's
grievances and matters connected with it.
o This Act is regarded as the 'Magna Carta' in the field of
consumer protection for checking unfair trade practices,
‘defects in goods’ and ‘deficiencies in services’ as far as India
is concerned. It has led to the establishment of a widespread
network of consumer forums and appellate courts all over
India. It has significantly impacted how businesses approach
consumers and has empowered consumers to a greater
extent.
Three Tier System
o A Three Tier judicial machinery was set up under the
Consumer Protection Act, 1986 at the District, State and
National Level for redressal of consumer disputes.
o The District Consumers Disputes Redressal Commission
(DCDRC) deals with cases involving below 20 L.
o The State Consumers Disputes Redressal Commission
(SCDRC) deals with cases between 20 L and 1 C.
o The National Consumers Disputes Redressal Commission
(NCDRC) deals with cases exceeding 1 C.
o This system helped in greater accessibility of legal action
against the unfair practices used by sellers.
o In the process, it has also helped in providing greater quality
for the consumers at affordable prices.
Consumer Rights
o Following are some of the Consumer Rights in India:-
o Right to Safety – Protection against marketing of goods and
services that are hazardous to life and property.
o Right to Information - Right to be informed about the
quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of
goods so as to protect the consumer against unfair trade
practices
o Right to Choose - Right to access various products, goods or
services at competitive prices.
o Right to be Heard - Consumers can file a complaint in case of
unfair trade practices by the seller in appropriate forums.
o Right to Seek Redressal - Right to seek compensation due to
damage caused by unfair trade practices and exploitation.
o Right to Consumer Education - Right to acquire the
knowledge and skill to be an informed consumer throughout
life.
Consumer Responsibilities
o Consumer responsibility is taking personal responsibility for
the environmental costs and consequences of what you
purchase and use. Following are some of the responsibilities:
o Be aware of your rights
o Be cautious while buying goods
o Ask yourself if you are being fooled
o Beware of Exaggerating Advertisements
o Speak out or Complain
Quality Standard Marks
o Quality Standard Mark is a standardization mark issued by
the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to certify that the
products conform to the minimum quality standards.
o ISI Mark – Electrical Products
o BSI Mark or Hallmarks – Gold Ornaments
o AGMARK – Agricultural Products
o Veg & Non-Veg Marks – Packaged food products
o BEE Mark – Energy consumed by electrical appliances
(add picture for Quality Standard Marks)
Conclusion
Bibliography
Consumer Affairs Website – National Informatics Centre
Consumer Protection, Rights and Responsibilities - Wiki
Consumer Protection Act and 3 tier System – NCDRC
Website
Calendar of Activities
Day 1 – 13th May, 2024 – RESEARCH
Day 2 – 14th May, 2024 – RESEARCH
Day 3 – 15th May, 2024 – DRAFT
Day 4 – 16th May, 2024 – WRITING CONTENT
Day 5 – 17th May, 2024 – WRITING CONTENT
Day 6 – 18th May, 2024 – RECHECKING & FINAL
TOUCHES
Marking Scheme
Content Accuracy –
Originality/ Analysis –
Presentation –
Creativity –
Viva –
Objectives Learnt and Innovative Ideas