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NIOS Class 12 Home Science Chapter 17 Consumer Education
Also, you can read the NIOS book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) Book guidelines. These solutions are part of NIOS All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NIOS Class 12 Home Science Chapter 17 Consumer Education, NIOS Senior Secondary Course Home Science Solutions for All Chapter, You can practice these here.
Consumer Education
Chapter: 17
MODULE – III: RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.1
Q. 1. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false by writing T or F against each statement. Justify your answer in the space provided.
(i) Children are not consumers.
Ans: F.
(ii) Sales persons are not the only source of providing information about a product.
Ans: T.
(iii) When goods are available at a lower price, it is wise to buy them in as much quantity as is available.
Ans: F.
(iv) Room coolers and fans should be bought preferably in winters.
Ans: T.
(v) It is better to buy expensive durable goods on instalments rather than not buy them at all.
Ans: T.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.2
Q. 1. Fill in the blanks choosing the correct words from the brackets:
(i) The MRP is the ___________ price at which a product is sold in the market. (minimum/maximum /moderate)
Ans: maximum.
(ii) Food items sold loose have high chances of ___________. (theft/breakage/adulteration)
Ans: adulteration.
(iii) Hiding away of scarce products and their sale at a high price is called ___________. (hoarding/profiteering/black marketing)
Ans: black marketing.
(iv) Sale of small soap cakes in large packets is a ___________ sale practice. (deceptive/positive/effective)
Ans: deceptive.
(v) Shopkeepers and manufacturers should provide the consumer with all the ___________ to enable them to make wise purchase. (discounts/information/gifts)
Ans: information.
(vi) Products bearing ___________ marks are of good quality. (identification/trade/standardisation)
Ans: standardisation.
Q. 2. List any two effective solutions to consumer problems.
Ans: 1. Every consumer is aware of his or her basic right to complain when cheated by any market intermediary.
2. Boycott the cheating manufacturer through consumer movement.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.3
Q. 1. Which of the following are consumer’s rights? Tick (✓) the correct answers:
(i) Right to discount.
(ii) Right to choose.
(iii) Right to safety.
(iv) Right to free home delivery.
(v) Right to be heard.
(vi) Right to standardised products.
(vii) Right to information.
(viii) Right to technology.
(ix) Right to communicate.
(x) Right to consumer education.
(xi) Right to computer education.
(xii) Right to redressal.
(xiii) Right to return.
Ans: (ii) Right to choose.
(iii) Right to safety.
(v) Right to be heard.
(vi) Right to standardised products.
(x) Right to consumer education.
(xii) Right to redressal.
Q. 2. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.
(i) ___________ should be kept safely as it is a proof of purchase of product.
Ans: bill / receipt / guarantee card.
(ii) Incidences of cheating and unfair trade practices should be ___________ to the concerned authorities to punish the guilty.
Ans: reported.
(iii) To ensure long life of an electrical gadget it is very important to follow its manufacturer’s ___________ for use, care and maintenance.
Ans: instructions.
Q. 3. Read the following problems and state the right the person will need.
(i) Mohan went to a shoe palace. Now he is trying to decide which one to buy out of Lotus Bawa, Adidas, Reebok and Nike. Right to ___________.
Ans: Right to choose.
(ii) Radha bought an immersion rod a few days back which stopped functioning. She goes back to the shopkeeper and wants it either to be replaced or rectified by the shop owner. Right to ___________.
Ans: Right to be heard.
(iii) Mina bought a tin of desi ghee. When she opened it, it was smelling bad. She went to the shopkeeper who refused to hear her complaint because of which she wanted to be heard and approached the consumer court. Right to ___________.
Ans: Right to redressal.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.4
Q. 1. Match the items listed in column A with laws mentioned in column B, under which you can file complaints if these are unsatisfactory.
| Column A | Column B |
| (i) Medicines | (a) Fruit Products Order |
| (ii) Ghee | (b) Bureau of Indian Standards Act |
| (iii) Misleading advertisements | (c) Drugs and Cosmetics Act |
| (iv) Pickles | (d) Essential Commodities Act |
| (v) Pressure cooker | (e) Prevention of Food Adulteration Act |
| (vi) Artificially coloured sweets | (f) Agricultural Produce (Grading/ Marking) Act |
| (g) MRTP Act | |
| (h) Standards of Weights and Measures Act. |
Ans:
| Column A | Column B |
| (i) Medicines | (c) Drugs and Cosmetics Act |
| (ii) Ghee | (f) Agricultural Produce (Grading/ Marking) Act |
| (iii) Misleading advertisements | (g) MRTP Act |
| (iv) Pickles | (a) Fruit Products Order |
| (v) Pressure cooker | (b) Bureau of Indian Standards Act |
| (vi) Artificially coloured sweets | (e) Prevention of Food Adulteration Act |
INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.5
Q. 1. Following is a list of products, write the standardisation mark (ISI/ AGMARK/FPO/WoolMark) usually found on each in the space provided:
(i) paint.
Ans: ISI.
(ii) electric iron.
Ans: ISI.
(iii) honey.
Ans: AGMARK.
(iv) canned fruit juice.
Ans: FPO.
(v) pure wool shawl.
Ans: WoolMark.
(vi) ground spices.
Ans: AGMARK.
(vii) pure ghee.
Ans: AGMARK.
(viii) LPG cylinders.
Ans: ISI.
(ix) knitting wool.
Ans: WoolMark.
(x) frozen peas
Ans: FPO.
Q. 2. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
(i) Before buying a medicine its ___________ should be read carefully.
Ans: label.
(ii) ___________ saves a product from breakage and spoilage.
Ans: packaging.
(iii) An advertisement gives ___________ about a product.
Ans: information.
(iv) Purchase of products with standard-isation mark ensures that they are of a certain minimum ___________.
Ans: standards.
Q. 3. List any six items of information that should be mentioned on a label.
Ans: (i) Name of the product.
(ii) Brand name.
(iii) Manufacturer’s name and address.
(iv) Contents/ingredients.
(v) Use of the product.
(vi) Directions for use, care and maintenance.
(vii) Date of manufacture and expiry.
(viii) Net Weight.
(ix) Max. retail price (MRP) inclusive in all taxes.
(x) Warning and precautions.
(xi) Guarantee period. (any six)
INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.6
Q. 1. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false by writing T or F against each statement. Justify your answer in the space given below:
(i) It is not possible for all consumers to unite and form consumer groups for preventing traders from using unfair sales practices.
Ans: F.
(ii) A strong consumer movement increases consumer rights and decreases consumer responsibilities.
Ans: F.
(iii) Every year March 15th is celebrated as Consumer Rights Day.
Ans: T.
(iv) Consumers can help in developing a consumer movement that can look after the interests of the consumers in Government policies and programmes.
Ans: T.
(v) Some consumer unions assist consumers to take legal action against the guilty traders.
Ans: T.
TERMINAL QUESTIONS
Q. 1. Define the following terms:
(i) Consumer.
Ans: Consumer: Consumer is an individual who buys products or services for personal use and not for manufacture or resale.
(ii) Consumer Education.
Ans: Consumer Education: Consumer education is the preparation of an individual through skills, concepts and understanding that are required for everyday living to achieve maximum satisfaction and utilisation of his resources.
(iii) Consumer Movement.
Ans: Consumer Movement: Consumer movement has been sweeping across the whole country. The consumers have been organising themselves Consumer Bodies all over the country to safeguard the public and consumers’ interest against unfair trade practices done by manufacturers and traders through misleading advertisements, bargain-sales, organisation of sale promotion contests, marketing goods which do not conform to standard of safety, etc.
Q.2. List the various problems faced by the consumers in the market today. Suggest solutions to any three problems.
Ans: The various consumer problems in the society are:
(a) high prices and poor standards.
(b) imitation goods.
(c) sales gimmicks.
(d) misleading advertisements.
(e) poor transport services.
(f) pollution.
There is a need of effective legislation and better laws to protect the consumer. For example, there is a need to control fraudulent correspondence courses, bogus colleges and misleading advertisement on further education. It is important to remember that we cannot help if people do not help themselves. Consumer participation will be only a means by which an average consumer can become aware.
Remember that whenever your complaint is justified you should not rush back to the shop in angry mood. The matter must be given careful consideration, unnecessary losing temper or show of emotion will not help but create greater antagonism and settlement of matters may not be to your satisfaction.
Q. 3. Enumerate the consumer rights and discuss consumer responsibilities.
Ans: Rights and Responsibilities of Consumers: Every year, March 15, is observed as World Consumers’ Rights Day. It commemorates a historic declaration of four basic consumer rights by former US President John F. Kennedy on March 15, 1962. Those declarations eventually lead to international recognition by governments and the UNO.
1. The Right to Safety: This means the right to be protected against products, production processes and services which are hazardous to health or life.
2. The Right to be Informed: This means the right to be informed of the facts needed to make an informed choice or decision. The right to be informed now goes beyond avoiding deception and the protection against misleading advertising, labeling or other practices. Consumers should be provided with adequate information, enabling them to act wisely and responsibly.
3. The Right to Choose: This right refers to the right to have access to a variety of products and services at competitive prices and in the case of monopolies to have an assurance of satisfactory quality of goods and services at a fair price. The right to choose has been reformulated to mean the right to basic goods and services. This is because the unrestrained right of a minority to choose can mean a denial of share to the majority.
4. The Right to be Heard: This means the right to be represented so that consumer’s interests receive full and sympathetic consideration in the formulation and execution of economic policy. The right is being broadened to include the right to be heard and represented in the development of products and services before they are produced or set up: it implies a role, not only in formulating government policies, but also in economic FORA and other organisations.
5. The Right to Redressal: This means the right to fair settlement of just claims. The right has been generally accepted since the early 1970’s. It involves the right to receive compensation for misrepresentation or supply of shoddy goods or services where needed, free legal aid or an accepted form of redress for small claims should be available.
6. The Right to Consumer Education: This means the right to acquire the knowledge and skills to be an informed consumer throughout life. The right to consumer education incorporates the right to the knowledge and skills needed for taking action to influence factors that affect consumer decisions.
7. The Right to a Healthy Environment: This means the right to a physical environment that will enhance the quality of life. This right protection against environmental problems over which the individual consumer has no control. It acknowledges the need to provide and improve the environment for present and future generations.
Q. 4. What is the importance of consumer protection laws? Describe the following laws:
(i) Essential Commodities Act.
Ans: Essential Commodities Act: The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 was enacted to ensure easy availability of essential commodities to the consumers and to protect them from exploitation by unscrupulous traders. The Act provides for regulation and control of production, distribution and pricing of commodities, which are declared as essential for maintaining or increasing supplies or for securing their equitable distribution and availability at fair prices. Most of the powers under the Act have been delegated to the State Governments.
(ii) Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act.
Ans: Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act: During 1969, the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission was set up under the MRTP Act of 1969.
The Government proposes to enlarge the present scope of restrictive trade practices’ in the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 Currently, restrictive trade practice under the Act is defined to mean only “any trade practice which requires a consumer to buy, hire or avail of any goods, or as the case may be, services as a condition precedent for buying, hiring or availing of any other goods or services”.
(iii) Consumer Protection Act.
Ans: Consumer Protection Act: Consumer Protection Act 1986 is also called COPRA. The act helps consumers to seek redressal of their grievances. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986, was enacted in order to provide speedy and inexpensive redress of consumers’ grievances.
This Act was introduced to safeguard the interests of ordinary consumers in their daily transactions like the buying of goods or hiring of services. Some of the rights that are protected include the right to information about the goods or services, the right not to be given defective goods, unfair trade practices, faulty services, exploitation, etc. A consumer has been defined as any person who either buys goods or hires or avails of any services. This definition has been expanded by the courts and now it includes amongst others, medical patients in government and private hospitals, persons allotted houses by government, etc.
(iv) Standards of Weights and Measures Act.
Ans: Standards of Weights and Measures Act: The Standard of Weights and Measures Act 1985 contains provisions for legal control on weights and measures and weighing measuring instruments used and protection of public health and human safety. Vendors and manufacturers of food products can be prosecuted if their weights and measures are not certified by the inspector of weights and measures. This ensures that the consumer gets the correct weights and measures of the food product bought in the market.
Q. 5. Discuss the role of the following as consumer aids in assisting consumers in making wise purchases:
(i) Labels.
Ans: Labels:
(i) Read the labels, before purchasing the food product.
(ii) Check specifically for the “best before” date.
When you buy food products check the labels for the following details:
• Ingredients.
• Weight.
• Name and address of the manufacturer.
• Date of manufacture-use before, best before, etc.
• Batch number.
• Certification of standard such as AGMARK, FPO, ISI.
• Instructions for use and storage.
• Check out for symbols such as vegetarian (green dot) and non-vegetarian (brown dot) food.
• Imported food products must contain the name and address of the Indian importer.
(ii) Packaging.
Ans: Packaging: Right to Redressal.
• To receive a fair settlement of just claims, including compensation for substandard goods or unsatisfactory services.
Case study: Albert purchased a packet of sweets, weighing 500 gms as a surprise gift for his sister. His mother saw the contents and felt that it was less in quantity and got it weighed at a neighbouring shop. The packet weighed only 300 gms. Albert took it back to the shopkeeper and asked for a replacement. The shopkeeper refused to replace the packet and asked him to contact the manufacturer. Albert’s mother wrote to the manufacturer who refused to acknowledge her letter. She then contacted a consumer group who assisted her in filing a complaint before the consumer court. After investigation, the manufacturer was asked to pay Albert the compensation of Rs. 2000/- for selling a product that weighed less that it was supposed to.
(iii) Advertisements.
Ans: Advertisements: Right to Information To be given the facts needed to make an informed choice and to be protected against misleading advertisements and labelling.
Case study: Rajesh was a sixth standard boy who loved cricket. One day he saw an advertisement, which showed his cricket idol, Vikram Kumbli on television saying “I drink Horplan thrice a day. You should too, if you want to be like me.” Rajesh immediately ran to his mother and asked her to buy Horplan. He believed that he would become like his idol, if he drank Horplan thrice a day. His mother told him to focus on his game and not get misled by these irresponsible advertisements.
Q. 6. What is standardisation? List the standardisation marks available in the Indian market and describe them.
Ans: A standardisation mark is a mark given to a product which meets certain standards with respect to the quality of the product in terms of material used, method of manufacture, labelling, packing, sale and performance. Standardisation marks available in Indian market are as follow:
1. ISI Mark: This mark is given by the BIS over specifications and method of testing products. 15000 standards covering a variety of vegetable, fruit and meat products, processed foods, vanaspati, soaps, detergents, paper, paint, nonstick utensils, electrical goods, stoves, LPG cylinders, cement etc. are given ISI marks.
2. AGMARK: So far, standards have been prescribed for about 142 agricultural, horticultural, forest and livestock products, like wheat floor, pure ghee, honey and spices.
3. FPO: This mark requires all manufacturers of fruit and vegetable products to acquire a licence for their production and sale after meeting the FPO standards. Products like jams, pickles, squashes, juices and ketchups are given FPO mark.
4. Wool Mark: A standard mark of International Wool Secretariate was established in 1949. It promotes pure wool products. It makes it necessary for manufacturers to mention the amount and identity of other fibres used along with pure wool on the label of wool and woolen garments.
5. ECO Mark: It has been launched recently by the BIS. It is given to those products which not only meet ISI standards but are also recyclable and save energy; that is, they are environment friendly. Such products help in reducing environmental pollution.
Q. 7. What do you understand by wise buying habits? Explain in detail in relation to the purchase of an electric iron.
Ans: India being very vast geographically, consumers here are naturally scattered over a vast territory. As the country is also marked by great diversity in climate, religion, language, literacy level, customs and calendars, lifestyles and economics status, here consumers present a complex group. Some individuals are information gatherers/holders, who seek out information about products of relevance; they then decide:
• whether to buy.
• which product to buy (pick-up or passenger car?).
• which brand to buy.
• where to buy it. and
• when to buy.
• the decision maker may specify what kind of product to buy, but not which brand.
• the purchaser may have to make a substitution if the desired brand is not in stock.
• the purchaser may disregard instructions (by error or deliberately).
