NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Economics Chapter 5 – Consumer Rights

Who is a consumer?
Answer: A consumer is anyone who buys goods or services for personal use, not for resale, and expects a fair deal in terms of quality and price.

What is the need for consumer protection?
Answer: Consumers often face issues like overpricing, faulty products, unfair trade, or lack of information, so protection ensures their rights and safety.

Mention any two problems faced by consumers.
Answer: Common problems include adulteration in food items and misleading advertisements that trick consumers into buying substandard or unsafe products.

What are consumer rights?
Answer: Consumer rights are the legal protections that include right to safety, information, choice, redressal, representation, and consumer education.

What is the right to safety?
Answer: It protects consumers against products that are hazardous to health or life, especially in sectors like food, medicine, and electronics.

Explain the right to be informed.
Answer: This right ensures that consumers get complete information about the product such as price, expiry date, ingredients, and safety features.

What is the right to choose?
Answer: It allows consumers to select from a variety of goods and services at competitive prices, without any pressure or monopoly.

What is the right to be heard?
Answer: Consumers have the right to voice complaints or opinions and be heard in policy-making or in redressal forums.

What is the right to seek redressal?
Answer: It gives consumers the ability to complain and get compensation if they are harmed by defective goods or unfair practices.

What is the right to consumer education?
Answer: This ensures consumers are aware of their rights, responsibilities, and laws so they can make informed choices and fight exploitation.

Why is consumer awareness necessary?
Answer: Without awareness, people may fall prey to fraudulent sellers or poor-quality goods. Knowledge empowers them to act legally and responsibly.

What is ISI mark?
Answer: It is a certification mark given by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for products like electrical appliances, ensuring safety and quality.

What is AGMARK?
Answer: AGMARK certifies agricultural products such as wheat, pulses, and oils, guaranteeing their purity, quality, and standardisation.

What is hallmark?
Answer: Hallmark is a quality certification for gold and silver jewellery, issued by BIS, ensuring proper purity levels in precious metals.

What is COPRA?
Answer: COPRA or Consumer Protection Act, 1986, is a law passed to protect consumers’ interests, and was updated in 2019.

What are consumer forums or redressal agencies?
Answer: These are platforms where consumers can file complaints, like District Forum, State Commission, and National Commission, based on claim amount.

What is a District Consumer Forum?
Answer: A district forum handles complaints where the compensation claim is up to ₹1 crore and aims to resolve cases locally and quickly.

What is the importance of the Consumer Protection Act?
Answer: It ensures legal rights, fair practices, and easy access to justice for consumers, promoting transparency and accountability in the market.

How does advertising mislead consumers?
Answer: Advertisements may exaggerate product quality or benefits, leading consumers to buy items that may not perform as promised.

Give one example of unfair trade practice.
Answer: Selling expired medicines or offering fake discounts during sales to clear old stock is considered an unfair trade practice.

What is a consumer’s responsibility?
Answer: Consumers should be informed, alert, check labels, demand bills, and report frauds, as responsible behaviour strengthens the consumer movement.

What is the role of NGOs in consumer protection?
Answer: NGOs create awareness, conduct workshops, help file complaints, and act as a bridge between consumers and legal institutions.

Mention any two ways of spreading consumer awareness.
Answer: Awareness can be spread through mass media, educational programs, street plays, posters, and campaigns like “Jago Grahak Jago.”

What is the significance of World Consumer Rights Day?
Answer: Celebrated on March 15, this day highlights the importance of consumer rights, and encourages people to be informed and proactive.

Summarise the importance of consumer rights.
Answer: Consumer rights ensure people are treated fairly in the marketplace, get safe products, and have the power to seek justice and redressal.