CBSE Class 10 Economics Consumer Rights VBQs

Value based:

Question. Describe some of the duties as consumers if you visit a shopping complex in your locality? 

Answer :

 1) Details about price and quality.

 2) Ask cash menu.

3) Fair deal (elaborate on any 3)

4) Complain for genuine grievances.

Question. What values does it impart to the consumers? 

Answer :

1) Awareness of one’s rights.

2) Responsibity of the consumer.

3) Social ethics of morality.

Question. Explain various ways by which consumers are exploited by the producers. 

Answer :

1) Adulteration

2) Hoarding and black marketing

3) Lack of safety devices

4) Under measurement.

Question. Mention 2 values that must be followed by the producers to overcome this situation. 

Answer :

1) Honesty and commitment

2) Responsibility towards social welfare.

Question. Explain the Legislative measures adopted by the government to promote the interest of consumers. 

Answer :

1) COPRA 1986

2) Establishment of consumer redressal agencies at district, state and national level.

3) If a case is dismissed in the district court the consumer can appeal in state and then in national level courts.

Question. What values can bring a positive change in this situation? 

Answer :

1) Honesty and commitment

2) Sincerity

3) Social responsibility.

Question. Trace the evolution of consumer movement in India. 

Answer :

1) Unfair trade practices adopted by sellers

2) Birth of consumer movement in 1960

3) Consumer groups formed to look after malpractices.

Question. What values can lead to a successful implementation of this movement?

Answer :

1) Honesty and commitment

2) Responsibily to safeguard consumers

3) Sincerity and dedication.

Question. Large companies with huge wealth, power and reach can manipulate the market in various ways. Justify by giving an example.

Answer :

1) Market do not function in a fair manner

2) Powerful producers manipulate the market through media.

3) Example – Powder milk for babies.

Question. Which values make the consumer to be more conscious in the market?

Answer:

1) Awareness of one’s rights

2) Ethical behavior

3) Social responsibility

Contextual

Question. “Every consumer has the right to get compensation depending on the degree of damage”. Explain the statement with an example. 

Answer :

1) Reji’s suffering incidence

2) Abhirami’s coaching class incident (any relevant example)

Question. What are the values we obtain out of this event? 1mark

Answer:

1) Right to Safety

2) Right to Choose

3) Social responsibility

Question. Your friend has been sold a medicine that has crossed the expiry date and you are advising her to lodge a complaint. Which three values are you displaying as a Consumer? 3marks

Answer : Awareness of one’s rights

Sharing responsibility

Ensuring social justice

Personal responsibility

Any other relevant point

Question. ”After 20 years of the enactment of COPRA, consumer awareness in India is spreading, but slowly.” Give reasons. 2marks

Answer :

1) Protection of workers in unorganized sector is weak

2) Rules and regulations are often not followed

3) Lack of active involvement of the consumer.

Question. What values make the consumer to be more alert in the market? 

Answer:

1) Awareness of one’s rights

2) Personal responsibility

3) Ensuring social justice

Question. You are the chief marketing manager of a reputed company manufacturing biscuits, What values would you abide by while marketing your product? 

Answer: Social responsibility 

Self Discipline 

Ethical behavior 

Abiding by laws 

Any relevant point 
 

MCQs

Question. AGMARK is the certification maintained for standardisation of ______. .
(a) jewellery
(b) clothes
(c) consumer goods
(d) furniture
Answer : C

Question. How many District Consumer Courts are there in the country?
(a) 505
(b) 500
(c) 600
(d) 650
Answer : B

Very Short Answer Type Questions:

Question. What does the Right to Information Act ensure its citizens?
Answer : The Right to Information Act ensures its citizens all information about the functions of government departments.

Question. Give an example to show how large companies with huge wealth, power and reach can manipulate the market.
Answer : At times they pass on false information through the media or other sources to attract consumers.

Question. What should consumers do if the product proves to be defective in any manner?
Answer : They should complain and claim for compensation or replacement.

Question. What does the consumer do if his case is dismissed in a district level court?
Answer : He can appeal in state and then in national level courts.

Short Answer Type Questions:

Question. Explain the circumstances under which markets do not work in a fair manner.
Answer : Consumer Protection Act is a legislative measure enacted in 1986 to extend protection to consumers.
(i) Many unfair practices were being indulged in by the sellers and there was no legal system available to the consumers to protect them.
(ii) It was presumed that it was the responsibility of the consumer to be careful while buying a commodity or service.
(iii) Rampant foods shortages, hording, black marketing, adulteration of food and edible oil were some of the unethical and unfair practises followed in the market place.
Therefore, to protect the interest of the consumers the consumer protection Act was made on 24th December, 1986.

Question. How do we participate in the market as producers and consumers? Explain with three examples.
Answer : We participate in the market both as producers and consumers.
(i) As producers of goods and services we could be working in any of the sectors such as agriculture, industry, or services.
(ii) Consumers participate in the market when they purchase goods and services that they need.
(iii) For example, moneylenders usually adopt various tricks to bind the borrower. They could make the producer sell the produce to them at a low rate in return for a timely loan. They could force small farmers to sell their land to pay back the loan.

Question. Explain three factors that gave rise to consumer movement in India.
Answer :  (i) In India, the consumer movement originated as a social force with the necessity of protecting and promoting the interests of consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices.
(ii) Rampant food shortages, hoarding, black marketing, adulteration of edible oil gave birth to the consumer movement in an organised form in 1960s.
(iii) Till the 1970s, consumer organisations were largely engaged in writing articles and holding exhibitions. They formed consumer groups to look into the malpractices in ration shops and over-crowding in the road passenger transport.

Question. How did consumer movement arise in India? Explain. 
Answer : Unfair practices adopted by sellers, lack of legal system to protect from competition, caused dissatisfaction among the consumers, necessity of protecting and promoting the interests of consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices gave birth to the consumer movement India e.g. Hoarding, Black-Marketing, Adulteration of Good and edible oil, Good shortages gave birth to consumer movements in an organized form in the 1960s.

Question. Analyze with three suitable examples why rules and regulations are required for the protection of consumers in the marketplace. 
                                                    ​​​​​​​                          OR
"There is a need for rules and regulations to ensure protection for consumers." Give two arguments in support of the statement. 
Answer : 'There is a need for rules and regulations to ensure protection for consumers' due to exploitations in the market place. Two arguments that support the statement are as follows:
(i) Adulteration: Adulteration means mixing or substituting undesirable materials in food. This cause heavy loss to the customers; they slugger from monetary loss as well as spoil their health.
(ii) False Claims: Sellers make false claim about the durability and quality of their products through advertisements.

Question. Consumers have the right to be informed about goods and services they purchase. Explain its three advantages. 
Answer : (i) If we buy a product and find it defective well within the expiry period, we can ask for the replacement.
(ii) If someone sells a good at more than printed price on the packet, i.e., MRP, then a consumer protest and complain.
(iii) On medicines, 'direction for proper use' and information relating to side effects and risks associated with usage of that medicine are printed. Thus consumer can take precautions accordingly.

Question. Explain three functions of Consumer Protection Councils. 
Answer : Consumer Protection Council (CPC) Ahmedabad is a consumer organization which is working for the protection of consumer's rights.
Functions of CPC are:
(i) Writing articles and holding exhibitions to impart knowledge about consumer rights and consumer problems.
(ii) Forming consumer group to look into the malpractices in ration shops and overcrowding in the road passenger transport.
(iii) Providing legal assistance to consumers by way of providing aid, legal advice, etc., in seeking legal remedy.

Question. How do duplicate articles and adulteration cause heavy loss to the consumers? Give two example. 
Answer : (I) Duplicate Articles: In the name of genuine parts or goods, duplicate items are sold to the consumers, e.g., duplicate medicines, duplicate milk cause severe health problems to the consumers.
(ii) Adulteration: Adulteration means mixing or substituting undesirable materials in food. This cause heavy loss to the customers; they slugger from monetary loss as well as spoil their health. e.g., adulteration is done in case of oil, ghee and spices which spoil their health.

Question. Explain the importance of consumer awareness in protecting the interests of consumers. 
                          ​​​​​​​                          ​​​​​​​                          OR
"There is a great need for acquiring the knowledge and skill to become a well-informed consumer." Support this statement. 
Answer : There is a great importance need for consumer awareness due to the following considerations:
(i) The need for consumer awareness was felt because out of their selfishness, both the manufacturers and traders can go to any extent. They can charge high prices, stoop to underweight and under measurement methods. For example - their lust for money led to an enormous rise the price of onions in 1999.
(ii) The need for consumer awareness was felt all the more when some unscrupulous traders began to play with the health of the nation by indulging in adulteration of edible oils, milk, butter ghee, etc. For example - even spurious medicine were introduced. This was beyond the patience of the nation. Nobody can allow then to play with the life of the nation.

Question. How is consumer redressal process becoming cumbersome expensive and time, consuming? Explain.
Answer : Consumer redressal process is becoming cumbersome, expensive and time consuming because:
• Many a times, consumers are required to engage a lawyer, which becomes an expensive affair.
• The cases require time for filing and attending court proceedings which may not be possible for everyone.
• In most cases, the cash memos are not issued by the producers dr sellers to the consumers. In that case, proper evidence is not easy to gather and produce in the court.
• The existing laws on the issue of compensation are not very clear and specific.

Question. How did consumer movement originate as a ‘social force’ in India? Explain.
Answer : There are many factors that gave birth to the consumer movement in India. It started as a social force with the need to protect and promote the interests of the consumers against unfair and unethical trade practices. Extreme food shortages, hoarding, black marketing and adulteration of food led to the consumer movement becoming an “organised arena” in the 1960s. Till the 1970s, consumer organisations were mostly busy writing articles and holding exhibitions. More recently, there has been an upsurge in the number of consumer groups who have shown concern towards ration shop malpractices and overcrowding of public transport vehicles. In 1986, the Indian government enacted the Consumer Protection Act, also known as COPRA. This was a major step in the consumer movement in India.

Question. Why is consumer awareness spreading slowly? Give three reasons.
Answer : Consumer redressal process is becoming cumbersome, expensive and time consuming because:
• Many a times, consumers are required to engage a lawyer, which becomes an expensive affair.
• The cases require time for filing and attending court proceedings which may not be possible for everyone.
• In most cases, the cash memos are not issued by the producers dr sellers to the consumers. In that case, proper evidence is not easy to gather and produce in the court.
• The existing laws on the issue of compensation are not very clear and specific.

Question. Explain any three reasons responsible for enacting Consumer Protection Act, 1986 by the Government of India.
Answer : The reasons for enacting Consumer Protection Act, 1986 by the Government of India are:
• There was dissatisfaction among the consumers regarding unfair trade practices being indulged in by the producers or sellers.
• There was no legal system available for the protection of consumers from exploitation in the market place.
• Rampart food shortages, hoarding, black-marketing and adulteration of food and edible oil posed a threat to consumers.

Question. Explain the role of ‘consumer councils’.
Answer : The Consumer Protection Councils help the consumers in many ways. Some of them are:
• They guide consumers on how to file a case in consumer courts.
• They may represent individual consumers in the consumer courts.
• They create awareness among the people.

Question. Explain three functions of Consumer Protection Councils.
Answer : The three functions of Consumer Protection Councils are:
• Writing articles and holding exhibitions to impart knowledge about consumer rights and redressal.
• To look for malpractices in the market in the process of buying and selling.
• Providing legal assistance to consumers by providing aid, legal advice and seeking legal remedy.

Question. What precautions do you suggest for a consumer to take while purchasing medicines from the market?
Answer : The precautions should be kept in mind by a consumer while purchasing medicines from the market are:
• He should check the expiry date of the medicines before purchasing them.
• He should check the details given on the packets of the medicines such as directions for use, side effects and risks.
• He should always ask for cash memos or bills for medicines purchased as it is a proof of purchase.

Question. How did the Consumer Protection Act enhance the powers of the redressal machinery of India? Explain.
Answer : The Consumer Protection Act enhance the powers of the redressal machinery of India in the following ways:
• It provides for the establishment of consumer disputes redressal agencies at District, State and National levels for the protection and promotion of consumer’s interests and to redress their grievances in a speedy, simple and inexpensive manner.
• These agencies are required to dispose off each complaint within three months.
• These courts look into grievances and complaints of the consumers against the traders and manufacturers and .provide the necessary reliefs and compensation. The district level court deals with the cases involving claims up to 20 lakhs, the state level court between 20 lakhs to 1 crore and the national level court deals with cases involving claims exceeding 1 crore.

Question. Explain any three factors that gave birth to the Consumer Movement in India.
Answer : The factors that gave birth to Consumer Movement in India are:
• There was dissatisfaction among the consumers regarding unfair trade practices being indulged by the producers and sellers.
• There was no legal system available for the protection of consumers from exploitation in the market place.
• Rampart food shortages, hoarding, black-marketing and adulteration of food and edible oil posed a threat to the consumers.
• The consumers were unaware about their rights. So, to educate and make them aware, consumer movement began.

Question. What is Consumer Protection Act, 1986? Mention its advantages to the consumers.
Answer : Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted in 1986 to protect the interest of consumers in India. It makes provision for the establishment of consumer councils and other authorities for the settlement of consumers’ disputes and for matters connected therewith.
Advantages:
• It allows the consumers to enjoy various consumer rights.
• It allows redressal of consumer queries.
• It allows consumers to pressurise the producers as well as government to ensure moral business conducts.

Question. How do Consumer Protection Councils help consumers? Explain three ways.
Answer : The Consumer Protection Councils help the consumers in many ways. Some of them are:
• They guide consumers on how to file a case in consumer courts.
• They may represent individual consumers in the consumer courts.
• They create awareness among the people.

Question. How has three tier quasi-judicial machinery been set up for redressal of consumer disputes? Explain.
Answer : • A three-tier quasi-judicial machinery at the district, state and national level, was set up under COPRA, for redressal of consumer disputes in India.
• At the district level, consumer courts deal with cases involving claims up to 20 lakhs.
• At the state level, consumer courts deal with cases involving claims between 20 lakhs and 1 crore.
• At the national level, consumer courts deal with cases involving claims exceeding 1 crore. If the case is dismissed at the district level, then the consumer can appeal at the state and then at the national level, if required.

Question. How do we participate in the market as producers and consumers? Explain with examples.
Answer : A market has two players, i.e., producer and the consumer. We can participate by being both producer as well as a consumer. A producer enters the market by producing a good or a service. However, this entry depends on the type of product an individual is willing to produce.
For example, a producer starts producing any bathing soap and sells it in the market, then the producer participate as a producer in the market.
A consumer becomes a part of the market by consuming the output that is produced in the market.
There is no condition as such on a consumer to be a participant of market. For example, if an individual purchase any commodity/ service from the market, he participates as a consumer in the market.

Long Answer Type Questions:

Question. How are the consumers exploited in the marketplace? Explain with three examples.
Answer : Exploitation in the market happens in various ways, as
(a) Underweight and under measurement: The goods sold in the market are sometimes not measured or weighted correctly.
(b) Substandard quality: Selling defective home appliances and expired medicines are its examples.
(c) High Prices: Sometimes sellers charge higher than the MRP.
(d) Duplicity: Fake and duplicate items are sold in the name of genuine goods.
(e) Adulteration and impurities: Adulteration is done in the costly items as in oil, ghee, milk, spices etc. to earn higher profits. This affects consumer’s health and their money goes waste.
(f ) Lack of safety devices: Electronic goods produced locally lack the required inbuilt safeguards, which may cause accidents.
(g) Artificial scarcity or shortage: To earn more profits sellers create artificial scarcity by hoarding and selling the same at higher price.
(h) False or incomplete information: Sellers sometimes mislead people by giving wrong information about the products, price, quality, safety, expiry date, maintenance costs etc.
(i) Unsatisfactory after-sale service: Many suppliers do not provide satisfactory after-sale service in case of expensive electronic equipments, home appliances and cars etc.
(j) Rough behaviour: Consumers are often harassed in matters like LPG and telephone connections and in getting licensed items.

NCERT Questions

Question. Why are rules and regulations required in the market place? Illustrate with a few examples.
Answer : Whenever there is a complaint regarding a Good or service, a consumer find himself helpless and weak as butter tries to shift all the responsibility on to the buyer. This necessitates the protection of consumer in the market place. e.g., India order to achieve the goal of profit, maximization and growth, a businessman sometimes resorts to adulteration of goods, poor quality, failure to give fair measure lack of service and courtesy to the customer, misleading or dishonest advertising etc.

Question. Critically examine the progress of consumer movement in India.
                          ​​​​​​​OR
Trace the consumer movement in India since 1960s.
Answer : Hoarding, black marketing, adulteration of food and edible oil, food shortage gave birth to the consumers movements in an organized form in the 1960s. Consumer Organisations were mainly involved in writing articles and holding exhibitions and focused on malpractices in ration shops and overcrowding in road passenger transport rill 1970s. Consumer movement had led to the formation of consumer forums or consumer protection councils who also receive financial support from the government for creating awareness among the people. These forums help in guiding people in filling cases in the consumer courts.

Question. Name the consumer. Courts at the district, state and national levels.
Answer : (i) At the district level, it is calls district forum.
(ii) At the state level, it is called the state consumer commission.
(iii) At the national level, it is called the national consumer commission.

Question. Enumerate the measures to protect the rights of the consumers.
Answer : (i) Legislative measures,
(ii) Administrative measures,
(iii) Technical measures.

Question. Explain with examples 'Right to Information' to the consumers.
Answer : Right to be Informed: All information regarding the product, its ingredients, date of manufacture, precaution of use, etc. should be enumerated either on the package or separately on a piece of paper. Thus a consumer has right to be informed e.g.
(i) If we buy a product and find it defective well within the expiry period, we can ask for a replacement.
(ii) If someone sells a good at more than printed price on the packet, i.e., M.R.P., then a consumer can protest and complain.

Question. Large companies with huge wealth, power and reach can manipulate the market in various ways. Justify by giving an example.
Answer : Sometimes false information is passed on through media and other sources to attract consumers, e.g., a company sold powered milk for babies as the most scientific product claiming it to be better than mother's milk which although was a false claim.

Question. For which products it is mandatory on the part of the producers to get certified by the organizations?
Answer : For products that affect the health and safety of consumers or of products of mass consumption like LPG cylinders, food colors and additives, cement, packaged drinking water.

Please refer to the link below for CBSE Class 10 VBQs Economics Consumer Rights.