Right To Consumer Education
Prof.(Dr.) C.Rajashekhar
Chairman
Post-Graduate Department of Studies in Law
Karnatak University
Dharwad
Meaning of Consumer Education (CE)
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“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
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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.
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Areas covered under CE
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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.
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1168 Respondents
16.44% awareness of the Act
2.Survey by ORG Centre for Social Research by the CAG, 2005.
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48,732 Respondents
82% were unaware of the Act
66% were not aware of consumer rights
3. Findings of IDCG survey, 2012
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11.99 respondents/88 districts/19 states
40% respondents are aware about consumer rights
41% not aware
India’s Consumer Awareness and Education
Programme
(1)
Multimedia campaign –from 2005-06
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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
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Schools, Colleges- consumer clubs
Fellowships for Research
Training workshop for University/College
teachers
Chairs of Excellence –NLSIU
Evaluation and Monitoring
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Regular Meeting of Multimedia Committee
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Representation from IB/DAVP/DD/AIR/VCOs.
Consumer Advice Centers
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On Pilot basis in 4 States
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Provide up to date, reliable information and
independent consultation.
Comparative Testing Results
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Effective consumer awareness function
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Executed by Two VCOs.
(a) Voice Society- “Consumer Voice”
(b) CERC- “Insight”.
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Test and Report 10-12 products/year
Recommendations
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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…
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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