w o r k

Every student has to compulsorily undertake

any one project on the following units/topics.

1 Consumer Awareness
OR
2 Social Issues
OR
3 Sustainable Development

Scan the QR Code to access Project No. 2&3

Project Report
It is a written document which contains an in-depth report of the findings of the person who undertook a
project on certain aspect or a certain problem. This report should be prepared with great care and caution.
The following points should be kept in mind while preparing the report:
33 The report should be handwritten.
33 It should be concise and clear.
33 It should be supported by pictorial and diagrammatic presentation.
33 It should contain suitable topics and headings.
33 It should end with a conclusion.
33 It should neither be too long or too short. Generally it should comprise of 25-30 pages.

Elements of a Project Report

Ideally, the project report should contain the following elements:
1. Title Page — The title page contains the basic details of the project, such as, project title, objective of
the project, name of the student preparing the project, his class and school.
 cknowledgement — It is customary to acknowledge the efforts and help of all those individuals who
2. A
extended their support, through acknowledgement.
3. Content Page — This page lists the topics and the sub-topics of the project report, with their respective
page numbers. The content list should be self-explanatory.
4. Introduction — This section of the project report introduces the reader to the nature and scope of the
project undertaken. It is a summary of the key topics that the reader should specifically pay attention
to, while going through the project. The objectives of undertaking the project are also stated in the
introduction section.
5. Body of Report — The body of the report contains the findings of the project. It should be divided
into various topics and sub-topics and should reflect the chronological development of the project. It
should contain a detailed description of the subject-matter of project.
 onclusion — This section of the project contains the findings and the conclusions based on those
6. C
findings. The conclusion should be expressive as well as impressive so that the reader is able to evaluate
the result and assess the presentation of the project.

Assessment of Project Report

As per the CBSE guidelines, project report will be assessed on the following parameters:

S.No. Aspects Marks

1. Content accuracy, originality and analysis 2

2. Presentation and creativity 2

3. Viva Voce 1
 w o r k

Title of the Project

Consumer Awareness

Objective of the Project

The objective of the project is to study the level of
consumer awareness of the consumers and make
the students habituated about the survey work.

Name :
Class :
Section :
School :
Submitted to :
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my gratitude to my
teacher........................................................, as well as
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

our principal ......................................................... ,

who gave me the opportunity to do this highly
informative project on ‘Consumer Awareness’. This
project helped me in enhancing my knowledge and
I came to know about my rights and privileges as a
consumer. So, thank you sir/madam.

I would also like to thank all my friends and companions

who devoted their time and resources to help me. A big
thankfulness is also due for my parents who supported
me in every possible way so that I could complete my
project in time.

This project has not only been made for marks but also
because it is most relevant topic of the twenty-first
century.

Thanks again to all who helped me.

 C NTENTS
01.
Introduction

02.
Meaning of Consumer Awareness

03.
Objectives of the Study

04.
Forms of Consumer Exploitation and Factors Causing Exploitation

05.
Rights and Duties of Consumers

06.
Various Consumer Protection Measures

07.
Consumer Protection Act of 1986

08.
Judicial Machinery Under Consumer Protection Act

09.
Conclusion

10.
Questions for Viva Voce
Introduction
A consumer is a person who consumes and uses any goods
or services. Normally, it is the consumption or use of goods
and services that makes the person to be called as 'consumer'.
In the globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation era most
of the economic decisions are taken by the market. Though
the government has withdrawn itself from many activities
in economic field, it interferes very often when the market
mechanism fails due to structural rigidities to provide goods
and services to the people.
Ralph Nadar, a consumer activist is considered as the father
of 'consumer movement'. Now 15th of March is celebrated
as the World Consumer Rights Day. The United Nations also
adopted in the year 1985, certain guidelines to achieve the
objectives of maintaining protection for consumers and to
establish a high-level ethical conduct for those engaged in
the production and distribution of goods and services.
In India, 24th December is celebrated as 'Consumer's Day'
every year.
This project helps us in understanding the meaning of
consumer awareness and various problems faced by them
and the methods of their redressal.
'Awareness' at larger perspective has the potential of catapulting India
into world's leading economy.
‘Consumer awareness' is a new device at the dawn of new millennium
which prepares the people at large for their lawful rights and claims.
Meaning of Consumer
Awareness
A person who buys goods and services that he needs is called
a consumer. Consumers face exploitation in market and their
position is weak as compared to producers. So consumer's
awareness is required.
Consumer protection can be done by consumer awareness which
safeguards the interest and rights of consumers. It also refers
to the measures adopted for the protection of consumers from
unscrupulous and unethical malpractices by the business and to
provide them speedy redressal of their grievances.
The consumers are becoming more mature and conscious of their
rights against the malpractices by the business. There are many
consumer organisations and associations which are making
efforts to build consumer awareness, taking up their cases at
various levels and helping them to enforce their rights.
Consumer awareness in the broader and wider sense covers the
following points:
(i) Consumer awareness about maximum retail price.
(ii) Consumer awareness about fair price shop.
(iii) Consumer awareness about price, quality and expiry date of
the product.
(iv) Consumer awareness about their rights and duties.
(v) Consumer awareness about certified products like ISI,
Agmark, ISO-2000.
Objectives of the Study
The study of the project is based on focusing the following objectives:
(i) To focus on the study of the level of consumer awareness and their
grievances in the said area.
(ii) To make the learners habituated about the surveyed work.
(iii) To make the students acquainted how different statistical tools can be
applied in different socio-economic problems.
The consumer must be aware of the malpractices which lead to his exploitation:
(i) Sale of adulterated goods, i.e. selling something by adding inferior to the
product being sold.
(ii) Sale of spurious goods, i.e. selling something of little value instead of the
real product.
(iii) Sale of sub-standard goods, i.e. sale of goods which do not confirm to
prescribed quality standard.
(iv) Sale of duplicate goods.
(v) Use of false weights and measures.
(vi) Charging more than the maximum retail price (MRP) fixed for the product.
(vii) Supply of defective goods.
(viii) Supply of inferior services.
(ix) Misleading advertisements, i.e. claming a product to be of superior quality,
grade or standard.
 Forms of Consumer
Exploitation and Factors
Causing Exploitation
Some of the common ways by which consumers are exploited by
business community are as follows:

(i) Underweight and under-measurement.

(ii) Sub-standard quality.

(iii) High prices.

(iv) Duplicate articles.

(v) Adulteration and impurity.

(vi) Lack of safety devices.

(vii) Artificial scarcity.

(viii) False and incomplete information.

(ix) Unsatisfactory after-sale services.

(x) Rough behaviour.

Following are some of the factors that cause the exploitation of

consumers:

(i) Limited information.

(ii) Limited supply.

(iii) Limited competition.

(iv) Low literacy.

Rights and Duties of
Consumers
Rights of the Consumers
The following are the rights of the consumers as coded in Indian laws from
time to time:
(i) Right to Safety: It is the right of the consumers to be protected against
goods and services which are hazardous to health or life. For example,
defective vehicles could lead to serious accidents.
(ii) 
Right to be Informed: It is an important component of consumer
protection. The consumer must be provided with adequate and accurate
information about quality, purity, standard and the price of the goods and
services.
(iii) Right to Choose: The consumer must be assured, whenever possible,
access to a variety of goods and services at competitive prices. It implies
a right to be assured of satisfactory quality of service at a fair price.
(iv) Right to be Heard: The above mentioned rights of safety, information and
choice will be frivolous without the right to be heard. The consumers have
a right to be consulted by government and public bodies when decisions
and policies are made affecting consumer interests. Also, consumers have
a right to be heard by manufacturers, dealers and advertisers about their
opinion on production, marketing decisions and any grievances of the
consumers.
(v) Rights in Legal Proceedings: Consumers have the right to be heard in
legal proceedings in law courts dealing with consumer complaints.
(vi) Right to Seek Redressal: If required, the product must be repaired or
replaced by the seller or manufacturer. The Consumer Protection Act has
duly provided for a fair settlement of genuine grievances of the consumers.
It has set up a proper mechanism for their redressal at district, state and
national level.
(vii) Right to Consumer Education: In this direction the consumer associations,
educational institutions and the policy makers can play an important
part. They are expected to impart information and knowledge about the
relevant laws which are aimed at preventing unfair trade practices.

Duties of the Consumers

In order to secure rights, consumers have to fulfil the following duties:
(i) While purchasing goods, consumers should look at the quality of the
products as well as on the warranty of the product.
(ii) They should ask for cash memo for the item purchased.
(iii) They should also form consumer awareness organisations.
(iv) They must complain for their genuine grievances.
(v) They must know their rights and duties.

(vi) They are expected to use and handle the product or services properly. It
has been noticed that during guarantee period, people tend to reckless
use of the product, thinking that it will be replaced during the guarantee
period. This practice should be avoided.
 Various Consumer
Protection Measures
(i) Lok Adalat: Lok Adalats are the effective and economical system for quick
redressal of the public grievances. The aggrieved party can directly approach
the adalats.
Public Interest Litigation: Public Interest
(ii) 
Litigation or PIL is a scheme under which any
person can move to the court of law in the
interest of the society.
(iii) Redressal Forums and Consumer Protection
Councils: Under the Consumer Protection Act of
1986, a judicial system has been set up to deal
with the consumer grievances and disputes at
district level, state level and national level. These
are known as District Forum, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
(State Commission) and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
(National Commission).
(iv) Awareness Programme: To increase the level of awareness among the
consumers the Government of India has initiated various publicity measures. It
regularly brings out journals, brochures, booklets and various posters depicting
the rights and responsibilities of consumers, redressal machineries etc.
(v) Consumer Organisations: These organisations have been active all over
the world to promote and protect consumer interests. A number of such
organisations have also been set up in recent years in different parts of India.
Some of the important consumer organisations that have been playing an
active role in taking up consumer causes are:
(a) V
 OICE = Voluntary Organisation in the Interest of Consumer Education,
New Delhi
(b) CGSI = Consumer Guidance Society of India, Mumbai
(c) CAG = Consumer Action Group, Chennai
(d) CUTS = Consumer Unity and Trust Society, Jaipur
 (e) Common Cause, New Delhi
(f) Consumer Education Centre, Hyderabad
(g) Karnataka Consumer Service Society, Bangalore
(h) Kerala State Consumer Coordination Committee, Cochin
(vi) Legislative Measures: A number of laws have been enacted in India to
safeguard the interest of consumers.
(a) Drug Control Act, 1950
(b) Agricultural Products (Grading and Marketing) Act, 1937
(c) Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951
(d) Preventing of Food Adulteration Act, 1954
(e) Essential Commodities Act, 1955
(f) Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1956
(g) Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969
(h) Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986

The object and interest of almost all these enactments are mainly punitive,
though some of these are also preventive in nature.
Consumer Protection
Act of 1986
In order to provide for the better protection of interest of the consumers
Consumer Protection Bill 1986 was introduced in Lok Sabha on 5th December
1986. The bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament and got the assent of
the President of India on 24th December 1986. It is popularly known as the
Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
This Act came into force from 1st July 1987. The main objectives of the Act
are to provide better and all-round protection to consumers and effective
safeguards against different types of exploitation. It also makes provisions
for a simple, speedy and inexpensive machinery for redressal of consumers
grievances.

Salient Features of Consumer Protection Act, 1986

(i)  It applies to all goods, services and unfair trade practices unless
specifically exempted by the Central Government.
(ii) It covers all sectors whether private, public or cooperative.
(iii) It provides for establishment of consumer protection councils at the
central, state and district levels to promote and protect the rights
of consumers and a three tier quasi-judicial machinery to deal with
consumer grievances and disputes.
(iv) It provides a statutory recognition to the six rights of consumers.
Filing of Complaint: The following persons can file a complaint under Consumer
Protection Act 1986:
(i) A consumer.
(ii) Any recognised voluntary consumer association whether the consumer is
a member of that association or not.
(iii) The Central or any State Government.
(iv) One or more consumers where these are numerous consumers having
same interest.
(v) Legal heir or representative in case of death of a consumer.
Place to File a Complaint: If the value of goods and services and the
compensation claimed does not exceed ` 20 lakh, the complaint can be filed
in the District Forum. If it exceeds ` 20 lakh but does not exceed ` one crore,
the complaint can be filed before the State Commission. Further, if it
exceeds ` one crore then the complaint can be filed before the National
Commission.

The Way to File a Complaint: A complaint can be made in person or by any

authorised agent or by post. The complaint can be written on a plain paper duly
supported by documentary evidence in support of the allegation contained in
the complaint. The complaint should clearly specify the relief sought. It should
also contain the nature, description and address of the complaint as well as
the opposite party and so also the facts relating to the complaint and when
and where it arose.

Time Limit for Filing the Case: The consumer can file the complaint within two
years from the date on which the cause of action had arisen. However, it may
be admitted even after the lapse of two years if sufficient cause is shown for
the delay.

Time Limit for Deciding the Case: Every complaint must be disposed off as
speedily as possible within a period of three months from the date of notice
received by the opposite party. Where the complaint requires laboratory testing
of goods this period is extended to five months.
Judicial Machinery under
Consumer Protection Act
Under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986, the judicial machinery has been
set up. They are consumer court known as consumer forums at the district,
state and national levels.

(i) District Forum

This is established by the state governments in each of its districts.
(a) C
 omposition: The district forums consist of a Chairman and two other
members one of whom shall be a woman. The district forums are headed
by the person of the rank of a District Judge.
(b) J urisdiction: A written complaint can be filed before the District Consumer
Forum where the value of goods or services and the compensation claimed
does not exceed ` 20 lakh.
(c) Appeal: If a consumer is not satisfied by the decision of the District Forum,
he can challenge the same before the State Commission, within 30 days of
the order.

(ii) State Commission

This is established by the state governments in their respective states.
(a) C
 omposition: The State Commission consists of a President and not less
then two and not more than such number of members as may be prescribed,
one of whom shall be a woman. The Commission is headed by a person of
the level of High Court judge.
(b) J urisdiction: A written complaint can be filed before the State Commission
where the value of goods or services and the compensation claimed
exceeds ` 20 lakh but does not exceed ` 1 crore.
(c) Appeal: In case the aggrieved party is not satisfied with the order of the
State Commission he can appeal to the National Commission within 30
days of passing of the order.
(iii) National Commission
The National Commission was constituted in 1988 by the Central Government.
It is the apex body in the three-tier judicial machinery set up by the government
for redressal of consumer grievances. Its office is situated at Janpath Bhawan
(Old Indian Oil Bhawan), A Wing, 5th Floor, Janpath, New Delhi.

(a) Composition: It consists of a President and not less than four and not more
than such members as may be prescribed, one of whom shall be a woman.
The National Commission is headed by a sitting or retired judge of the
Supreme Court.

(b) Jurisdiction: All complaints pertaining to those goods or services and

compensation whose value is more than ` 1 crore can be filed directly
before the National Commission.

(c) Appeal: An appeal can be filed against the order of the National Commission
to the Supreme Court within 30 days from the date of order passed.

It may be noted that in order to attain the objects of the Consumers Protection
Act, the National Commission has also been conferred with the powers of
administrative control over all the State Commissions by calling for periodical
returns regarding the institution, disposal and pending of cases and issuing
instructions for adoption of uniform procedures etc.
 Conclusion
This project provides guidelines and makes the buyer of goods or services
aware of his rights as a consumer. If he is trapped in the net of grievances, he
has different types of remedies through legal assistance.
The conclusion of the project is that the buyer should be cautious about his
rights which are operative in our country. As a consumer he has many privileges
in the land. It is the moral and legal duty of every Indian citizen to know his
rights and duties and act accordingly.
When the cousumer buys a specific article, the rule caveat emptor (let the
buyer bewore) applies, but whese the customer orders goods to be supplied
and trusts to the judgement of the seller to select the goods, which they are
intended, there is an implied condition that goods are fit for the purpose.
The sale of goods Act of 1930 defines these obligotion is of buyer and seller.
 uestions
Written Examination and V I VA V O C E
for

Q 1. Who is called as a consumer? Q 7. What is meant by ISO and when it was

Ans. A person who buys goods and services that he or she established?
needs, is called as a consumer. Ans. ISO means International Organisation for
Standardisation. It was established in 1947.
Q 2. Give three ways when a consumer is
Q 8. Why has 24th December been selected to
exploited.
celebrate National Consumer Day in India?
Ans. In the following manner a consumer is exploited:
Ans. It was on this day that the Indian Parliament had

(a) S
 hopkeepers weigh less than what they should.
enacted the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

(b) Traders add unjustified charges to the price of the
product. Q 9. What is the role of consumer forums?

(c) Adulterated or defective goods are sold. Ans. Consumer Forums guide consumers on how to file
cases in the consumer court. On many occasions, they
Q 3. Give one point of objective of the study of
also represent individual consumers in the consumer
project work.
courts.
Ans. The study of project work is done to make the
Q 10. Enumerate the means to protect the rights of
student community acquainted how different
the consumers.
statistical tools can be applied in different socio-
Ans. The measures to protect the rights of the consumers
economic problems.
are:
Q 4. What are Lok Adalats?
(a) Legislative measures,
Ans. Lok Adalats are the effective and economical system
(b) Administrative measures, and
for quick redressal of the public grievances. The
(c) Technical measures.
aggrieved party can directly approach the adalats
Q 11. Which major step was talen by the Indian
with his grievance and his issues are discussed on
government in 1986 regarding consumer
the spot and decisions are taken immediately. protection?
Q 5. Give names of two consumer organisations. Ans. A major step was taken by the Indian government

Ans. (a) CAG = Consumer Action Group, Chennai, and in the form of enactment of COPRA (consumer
Pretection Act) in 1986.

(b) CUTS = Consumer Unity and Trust Society, Jaipur.
Q 12. Give names of some consumer
Q 6. When was the bill for consumer protection
organisations.
passed?
Ans. Following are the names of same consumer
Ans. The bill for consumer protection was passed by the organisation:
Indian Parliament on 5th December 1986 which was
(a) VOICE, New Delhi,
signed by President of India on 24th December 1986,
(b) Citizens Action group, Mumbai, and
and was called as Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
(c) Common cause, New Delhi