Kerala Syllabus 10th Standard Social Science Important Questions Chapter 10 Consumer: Satisfaction and Protection

Kerala State Syllabus 10th Standard Social Science Important Questions Chapter 10 Consumer: Satisfaction and Protection

Answer the following. Score 1 each

Choose the correct answer.

Question 1.
Which among the following is not included in consumer court?
District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum
State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
Bureau of Indian Standard
Answer:
Bureau of Indian Standard

Question 2.
Which of the following is the first Act for Consumer Protection?
Sale of Goods Act
Agriculture Produce (Grading and Marketing) Act
Essential Commodities Act
Answer:
Sale of Goods Act

Question 3.
Hallmark symbol shows the purity of
Vegetable food products
Gold ornaments
Fruit products
Answer:
Gold ornaments

Complete the statements suitably.

Question 1.
…………….. is the satisfaction of human wants using goods and services.
Answer:
Consumption

Question 2.
The act of fulfilling the wants of the consumer through the consumption of goods and services is called …………………
Answer:
consumer satisfaction

Question 3.
Consumer courts were set up in India as per the ………………. Act of 1986.
Answer:
Consumer Protection

Question 4
……………….. controls the price of medicines in India.
Answer:
Central Drugs Price Control Committee

Answer in a sentence each.

Question 1.
Who is a consumer?
Answer:
A consumer is a person who purchases and uses goods and services by paying or agreeing to pay a price.

Question 2.
What is meant by consumer satisfaction?
Answer:
The act of fulfilling the wants of the consumer through the consumption of goods and services is called consumer satisfaction.

Question 3.
What are Consumer courts?
Answer:
Consumer courts are mechanisms for helping the consumers as per the law when they are not satisfied with the dealings of the producers and distributors.

Question 4.
How does Legal Metrology Department help the interest of consumers?
Answer:
Legal Metrology Department ensures the weights and measures standards.

Question 5.

What does this symbol represent?
Answer:
The symbol used internationally to certify the safety of electronic and electrical appliances.

Question 6.
Why is the symbol ‘Agmark’ used?
Answer:
Agmark symbol is used to ensure the quality of agricultural and forest products.

Question 7.
What does FPO stand for?
Answer:
FPO certifies the safety and quality of products processed from fruits and vegetables.

Question 8.
How does the Essential Commodities Act of 1955 protect the consumers?
Answer:
The Essential Commodities Act of 195 5 protects the consumers from supernormal profit, hoarding and black marketing.

Question 9.
Which government department ensures the quality of food products at various stages like production, distribution, storage, sale and import?
Answer:
Food Safety and Standard Authority of India.

Answer the following. Score 2 each

Question 1.
Distinguish between consumption and consumer.
Answer:

Consumption is the satisfaction of human wants – using goods and services.
Consumer is the one who purchases and uses goods and services by paying or agreeing to pay a price.

Question 2.
Different economic activities are inter related. Prepare a flowchart using the following.

Distribution
Consumption
Production
Answer:

Question 3.
‘Fast assurance of justice’ is a feature of consumer courts. What are the other
Answer:

Simple procedure
Less court expenses

Question 4.
Today we have to pay for all items including water. Why?
Answer:

Scarcity of resources
Increase in wants

Question 5.
What does the consumer expect when he purchases goods and uses services?
Answer:

Get goods at reasonable/fair price
Quality
Reliability
After sale services

Question 6.
Who gives ISI symbol? On which products is this symbol seen?
Answer:

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) gives ISI symbol to ensure a fixed quality of products.
ISI symbol can be seen in products such as electrical appliances, cement, paper, paint, gas cylinder, etc.

Question 7.
What is the service of ISO?
Answer:

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certifies the quality of goods and services of more than 120 countries including India.
ISO gives certification to different products and service institutions like hospitals, banks, etc.

Question 8.
Which are the factors that have complicated and widened the scope of consumption?
Answer:

Variety in products
Personal interest
Increasing demands
Influence of market force

Question 9.
Which are the departments that fulfill the following functions to protect the interests of consumers?
a. Ensuring the quality and safety of medicines
b. Controls price of medicines.
Answer:
a. Drugs Control Department
b. Central Drugs Price Control Committee

Question 10.
What does the Sale of Goods Act, 1930 ensure? Name the services that come under this Act.
Answer:

The Act ensures that the prescribed conditions of sale are met while purchasing products.
Violation of guarantee, warranty and after sale services come under this Act.

Answer the following. Score 3 each

Question 1.
How far are the consumer courts helpful in ensuring justice to consumers and to create confidence in them?
Answer:
Consumer courts are judicial mechanisms for assisting the consumers when they are not satisfied with the dealings of the producers and distributors. They settle consumer disputes by various means including ensuring compensation for the consumers. They play an important role in ensuring justice to the consumers. They are able to create confidence in them and bring about a qualitative change in their lives.

For the redressal of consumer
grievances, a three-tier system of courts at the district level, state level and national level has been set up. They are referred to as the ‘District Forum’, ‘State Commission’ and the ‘National Commission’. While the National Commission is set up by the central government, the state commissions and the district forums are set up by the state governments.

The courts give verdict for

Replacing the products.
Direction to rectify defects in services.
Repayment of cash paid or excess amount appropriated.
Monetary compensation for the loss.

Question 2.
What are the consumer habits formed as a result of consumer education?
Answer:

Ask for the bill for eveiy purchase made.
Make sure that the weights and measures are accurate.
Make sure while purchasing packed items, that the name of the product, date of packing, expiiy date, weight, price, etc. are stated.
Note the symbols representing the standard of the products.

Question 3.
Which are the courts set up in India for the protection of consumer rights?
Answer:
A three tier system of courts are set up in India as per the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.

District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum functions at district level set up by the state government.
State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission functions at the state level, set up by the state government.
National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission at the national level, set up by the central government.

Question 4.
The Consumer Protection Act of 1986 has set up a three level advisory councils, besides consumer courts. Which are they?
Answer:

District Consumer Protection Council
State Consumer Protection Council
National Consumer Protection Council
These councils advise the respective governments on consumer rights.

Question 5.
Write the methods to be adopted for consumer education.
Answer:

Conduct awareness programmes
Inclusion in the curriculum
Observance of National Consumer Day
Publish pamphlets, booklets and magazines to make the consumers aware of their rights
Conduct seminars, workshops, etc. about consumer’s problems
Give legal assistance to file complaints in consumer courts

Question 6.
Write the structure of the three level consumer courts in India.
Answer:

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum: President and two members. At least one woman member.
State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission: President and two members. At least one woman member.
National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission: President and not less than four members.

Question 7.
Which are the institutions or departments that can take actions in the following situations?
a. To control price of medicines
b. Manipulation in weights and measures
c. Adulteration of food items.
Answer:
a. Central Drugs Price Control Committee
b. Legal Metrology Department
c. Food Safety Department

Answer the following. Score 4 each

Question 1.
Prakash bought 5 shirts from a textile shop for ₹ 5000. He found them defective after one week The textile shop owner refused to replace new shirts or pay back the money. So Prakash decided to submit a complaint to the District Consumer Court. Write similar situations when complaints about consumer disputes can be made.
Or
Write any four situations where complaints about consumer disputes can be filed.
Answer:

Violation of the prevention of adulteration law.
Defective services received from government or private institutions.
Appropriation of prices over and above the amount legally fixed or marked on the outer casing.
Sale of products which are harmful to life and safety.
Loss due to trading methods which lead to unfair trade practices and limited consumer freedom.

Question 2.
What is the importance of the Consumer Protection Act of 1986? What are the rights guaranteed by the Act?
Answer:
The Consumer Protection Act 1986 clearly defines the consumer’s rights and sets up special judiciary mechanisms for consumer protection in India.

Rights guaranteed:

The right to be protected against the marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property.
The right to be informed about the quality, quantity, standard and prices of goods and services.
The right to have access to a variety of goods and services at a reasonable price.
The right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices or in case the product or service falls short of the expectations of the consumer.
The right to consumer education,

Question 3.
Apart from the Consumer Protection Act of1986, there are many other Acts passed in India for consumer protection. Write any four of them.
Or
What are some of the legal protection to consumers in India?
Answer:

The Sale of Goods Act 1930 : The Act ensures that the prescribed conditions of sale are met while purchasing goods. Violation of guarantee, warranty, after sale services, etc. come under this Act.
The Agriculture Produce (Grading and Marketing) Act 1937 : The Act is meant for determining the standard of agricultural products.
The Essential Commodities Act 1955 : The Act protects the consumers from super normal profit, hoarding, black marketing, etc.
The Weights and Measures Act 1976 : The Act is helpful in preventing cheating in weights and measures.

Question 4.
Many departments and institutions function at the administrative level for the protection of the right of consumers. Write a note on this administrative mechanism.
Answer:

Legal Metrology Department : Ensures weights and measures standards.
Food Safety Department: Ensures the quality of food products.
Central Drugs Price Control Committee: Controls price of medicines.
Drugs Control Department : Ensures the quality and safety of medicines.
Food Safety and Standard Authority of India : Ensures the quality of food products at the various stages like production, distribution, storage, sale and import.

Question 5.
Consumer education is inevitable today. Why?
Answer:

Variety in products, personal interest, increasing demands, influence of market force etc. have complicated and widened the scope of consumption.
Consumer education is necessary for the acquisition of right habits by the consumers.
Widespread exploitation of consumers by unscrupulous and exploitative trade practices like defective and unsafe products, adulteration, false and misleading advertisements, hoarding and black-marketing. Consumer education enables the consumer to identify these.
Consumer education helps-consumers to get their grievances redressed.
Widespread ignorance of consumers.
To form consumer organisations to take care of the interests of the consumer.

Question 6.
Consumer education empowers the consumer in different ways. Explain.
Answer:

Helps to consume sensibly as per the wants.
Helps to acquire information about the products and services.
Enables the consumer to make the right choices.
Makes the consumer aware of his rights.
Makes them capable of intervening in consumer disputes.
Takes suitable action when faced with a problem.
Develops the ability to demand safe, reliable and good quality products at a reasonable price.
Becomes well informed and vigilant against corrupt practices in the market.

Question 7.
What are the problems faced by the consumers today?
Answer:

Extracting excess price than legally fixed by unscrupulous traders and sellers.
Violation of the prevention of adulteration law.
Manipulation in weights and measures.
Sale of products harmful to life and safety.
Lack of standardised products.
Delay in providing services.
Misleading advertisement

Question 8.
Write examples for compensations for consumer disputes obtained through consumer courts.
Or

The news item is an example for settling disputes and issuing compensation by consumer courts.
Which are the other ways of compensation issued by courts?
Answer:

Replacing the product
Repayment of cash paid or excess amount appropriated.
Monetary compensation for the loss.
Stopping harmful trade practices.
Prohibition of the sale of harmful food items.
Reimbursement of the expenses incurred in lodging the complaint.
Direction to rectify the defects in services.

Question 9.
Which are the institutions set up to advise the governments on consumer rights? How have they come into existence? What is their main responsibility?
Answer:

Three-level advisory councils are:
- District Consumer Protection Council
- State Consumer Protection Council
- National Consumer Protection Council
These have come into existence as per the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
The main responsibility of these councils is to advise the respective governments on consumer rights.

Question 10.
Symbols are given on the basis of assessing the standard of products and institutions. Identify the symbols and choose the correct order.

I. a. ii, b. i, c. iv, d. iii

Question 11.
Intervention of vigilant society will ensure protection of consumer. Substantiate the statement.
Answer:
Society can intervene in

Functioning of consumer organisations.
Public interest litigation
Consumer education

Question 12.
What are the circumstances where the consumers are exploited? What can consumers do if they are cheated?
Answer:

Charging excess prices
Selling low quality products
Adulteration
Manipulation in weights and measures
Delay in making services available
Unsatisfactory after sale services

In circumstances in which the consumers are not satisfied with the dealings of the producers and distributors, they can approach the consumer courts which are mechanisms for helping them as per the law. Consumer courts play an important role in ensuring justice to the consumers. They settle consumer disputes by various means including ensuring compensation for the consumers. The consumer courts are able to create confidence in the consumers and bring about a qualitative change in their lives. So they are called the guardians of the rights of consumers.

Question 13.
What are the habits you have to develop as a good consumer?
Answer:
Good habits to be developed by consumers

Ask for bill for every purchase made.
Make sure that the weights and measures are accurate.
Make sure while purchasing packed items that the name Of the product, date of packing, expiry date, weight, prize, etc. are stated.
Note the symbols representing the standard of the products.

Question 14.
Describe the structure of National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. Write any three compensations obtained through consumer courts.
Answer:

Structure of NCDRC
National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission functions at national level. It consists of President and not less than four members. Central government has the right to appoint more members.
Examples for compensations obtained through Consumer Courts
- Replacing the product
- Repayment of cash paid or excess amount appropriated
- Monetary compensation for the loss.
- Prohibition of the sale of harmful food items.

Question 15.
Explain the structure and jurisdiction of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum.
Answer:
District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum

Structure : Functions at the district level. It consists of a President and two other members, one of whom should be a woman.
Jurisdiction : After collecting the evidence based on the complaint filed by the consumer, verdicts are given where the compensation claimed does hot exceed ₹20 lakhs.

Question 16.
What are consumer courts? List out their features.
Answer:
Consumer Courts:
There are situations in which the consumers are not satisfied with the dealings of the producers and distributors. Under such circumstances, they can approach the consumer courts which are mechanisms for assisting or helping them as per law.

Features of consumers courts:

Consumer courts play an important role in ensuring justice to consumers..
They settle consumer disputes by various means including ensuring compensation for the consumers.
The consumer courts are able to create confidence in the consumers and bring about a qualitative change in their lives.

Answer the following. Score ‘5’, ‘6’ each

Question 1.
Complete the table.

Department/Imtitution	Services/Actions
Legal Metrology Department	a. ………………….. ?…………………..
b. …………………………….?…………………….	Ensures the quality of food products
Central Drugs Price Control Committee	c. ………………………..? …………………
d. ……………………. ? ……………………..	Ensures the quality and safety of medicines
Food Safety and Standard Authority of India	e. …………………..?………………………….

Answer:

Department/Institution	Measures
Legal Metrology Department	a. Ensures the weights and measures standards
b. Food Safety Department .	Ensures the quality of food products
Central Drugs Price Control Committee	c. Controls the price of medicines
d. Drugs Control Department	Ensures the quality and safety of medicines
Food Safety and Standard Authority of India	e. Ensures the quality of food products at various stages like production, distribution, storage, sale and import.

Question 2.
Describe the structure and powers of the consumer courts in India.
Answer:
The Consumer Protection Act of 1986 seeks to protect and promote the interests of consumers. The Act provides for the setting up of courts operating at three levels – district, state and national.
District Forum
Structure:
The District Consumer
Disputes Redressel Forum functions at the district level. It consists of a President and two other members, one of whom should be a woman. They are all appointed by the stategovemment.

Power:
A complaint can be made to the District Forum when the value of the goods or services in question, along with the compensation claimed, does not exceed ₹20 lakhs. On receiving the complaint, the District Forum shall refer the complaint to the party against whom the complaint is filled. If required, the goods shall be sent for testing ¡n a laboratory. The District Forum shall pass an order fier considering the test report. If the aggrieved party is not satisfied with the verdict of the District Forum, he can appeal before the State Commission within 30 days of the passing of the order.

State Commission
Structure:
The state Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission functions at the state
level. It consists of a President and not less than two other members, one of whom should be a woman. They are all appointed by the state government.

Power:
A complaint can be made to the State Commission when the value of the goods or services in question, along with the compensation claimed, exceeds ₹20 lakhs, but does not exceed ₹1 crore. The Commission shall pass an order after considering the test report from the laboratory and hearing to the party against whom the complaint is filed. In case the aggrieved party is not satisfied with the order of the State Commission, he can appeal before the National Commission within 30 days of the passing of the order.

National Forum
Structure:
The National Consumer . Disputes Redressal Commission functions
at the national level. It consists of a President and atleast 4 other members, one of whom should be a woman. They are all appointed by the Central Government.

Power :
A complaint can be made to the National Commission when the value of the goods and services in question, along with the compensation claimed, exceeds ₹1 crore. The Commission passes the order after following the necessary procedures.

Question 3.
Symbols that help the consumer to ensure the quality of goods and institutions are given below. Identify them and write their services.

Answer:

Question 4.
Write a note on the legal safegaurds for consumer protection in India.
Answer:
The Indian legal framework consists of a number of laws and regulations which provide protection to consumers.

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 :
The Act seeks to promote and protect the interests of consumers. It provides safeguards to consumers against defective goods, deficient services, unfair trade practices and other forms of their exploitation. The Act provides for the setting up of consumer courts at the district levels, state levels and national level. It also provides for the formation of consumer protection councils in every district and state and at the apex level.

The Sale of Goods Act 1930 : The Act ensures that the prescribed conditions of sale are met while purchasing products. Violation of guarantee, warranty, after sale services, etc. come under this Act.

The Agriculture Produce (Grading and Marketing) Act 1937 : The Act is meant for determining the standard of agricultura products.

The Essential Commodities Act 1955 : The Act protects the consumers from super normal profit, hoarding, black marketing, etc.

Weights and Measures Act 1976 : The Act is helpful in preventing cheating in weights and measures. The Act prevents the use of nonstandard weights and measures.

FOR EXTRA READING
Consumer Rights

The Consumer Protection Act of 1986 provides for 6 rights of consumers.

Right to Safety : This right protects the consumers from the marketing of goods and services which are dangerous to life and property like adulterated food, unsafe electrical appliances, etc.
Right to be Informed : This gives the consumer to be informed about the quality, quantity, price, etc. of goods and services. Hence all the products must have a label and this information must be mentioned on the label.
Right to Choose : This right gives the consumer to have access to a variety of goods and services to satisfactory quality at a reasonable price.
Right to be Heard : This gives the consumer the right to file a compliant against the malpractice of the traders and the oppressive government policies and to be heard. It is because of this that many business firms have set up their own customer service and grievance cells.
Right to Seek Redressal : This ensures the consumer to a fair settlement and compensation for genuine and just complaints against faulty goods and services. This includes replacement of the product, removal of defect in the product and compensation paid for any loss or injury suffered by the consumer.
Right to Consumer Education : The consumer has a right to acquire knowledge and to be a well informed consumer throughout life. He should be aware of his rights and the reliefs available to him in case of a product or service falling short of his expectations.

BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS (BIS) ACT

Under this Act, the quality certification mark ISI is given to those products which meet the specifications and standard set by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The BIS gives specification for products in terms of materials used, method of production, labelling, packing, storage and sale.

ECOMARK

This has been launched by BIS. It is given to those products which not only meet ISI standards but are also recyclable and save energy. They are environment friendly and help in reducing environmental pollution.

Kerala Syllabus 10th Standard Social Science Important Questions