Right To Consumer Education

Prof.(Dr.) C.Rajashekhar
Chairman
Post-Graduate Department of Studies in Law
Karnatak University
Dharwad
Meaning of Consumer Education (CE)

Consumer Education is a process by which

consumers develop skills to make informal decisions
in the purchase of goods and services
- U.S.Dept.of Education

To educate the consumer as to what, where, when

how and how much to buy and to use what they have
bought.
Need for Consumer Education in India

Three-Fourths population rural based.

Total 164.8mn House holds /87.7 mn households under
low income group.
Consumers are not homogenous
Consumers vulnerable to deceit, Fraud, and Exploitation
Dumping of shoddy products and spurious drugs in rural
market.
Consumer not the king.
Consumers need to be made aware of their rights and
remedies.
Awareness empowers consumers.
UN Guidelines on Consumer Education

Impose obligation on governments to develop general

consumer education and information
Aim of UN Programme
to enable people to make informed choice of goods and
services
To make conscious of their rights and responsibilities

Special attention to the needs of disadvantaged

consumers
To make consumer education an integral part of
curriculum.
Areas covered under CE

Health, Nutrition, food borne diseases and food

adulteration
Product hazards
Product labelling
Redressal of grievances
Weights and measures, prices, quality, credit
conditions.
Involving VCOs, Media
Training Programmes
Consumer Awareness in India

Survey Findings
1.Independent Evaluation of the CPA, 1986 by IIPA in 1994.
1168 Respondents
16.44% awareness of the Act
2.Survey by ORG Centre for Social Research by the CAG, 2005.
48,732 Respondents
82% were unaware of the Act
66% were not aware of consumer rights
3. Findings of IDCG survey, 2012
11.99 respondents/88 districts/19 states
40% respondents are aware about consumer rights
41% not aware
Indias Consumer Awareness and Education
Programme

(1) Multimedia campaign from 2005-06

Promoting awareness Radio, TV, Internet.
Jago Grahak Jago
Out door campaign
Publicity through Electronic Media
Use of Internet.
Contd.

(2) Role of NGOs / VCOs

- At grass root level
(3) Role of Educational Institutions
Schools, Colleges- consumer clubs
Fellowships for Research
Training workshop for University/College
teachers
Chairs of Excellence NLSIU
Evaluation and Monitoring

Regular Meeting of Multimedia Committee

Representation from IB/DAVP/DD/AIR/VCOs.

Consumer Advice Centers

On Pilot basis in 4 States

Provide up to date, reliable information and

independent consultation.
Comparative Testing Results

Effective consumer awareness function

Executed by Two VCOs.

(a) Voice Society- Consumer Voice
(b) CERC- Insight.
Test and Report 10-12 products/year
Recommendations

Public campaign to upgrade from Jago Grahak

Jago to Assert Rights, Pursue Remedies.
Awareness Programme to be pursued aggressively at
Taluk /District Levels
Consumer education to be included in curriculum
from primary to college level
Monitoring consumer clubs, District Consumer
Protection Councils, information centers through
VCOs.
Contd

Resource material for training teachers.

Publication of newsletters by college to be funded.
Enhancing comparative testing capacity.
Enhancing availability of consumer journals.
Involvement of journalists.
Setting up of National Consumers Protection
Authority.
- to deal with misleading, indecent advertisements
Thank you