After completing his studies, Mahesh started working in a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) as an Administra

Question

Q. After completing his studies, Mahesh started working in a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) as an Administrative Officer. This organisation is engaged in activities related to consumer welfare. One day when his mother returned home after shopping, she gave him the mixed fruit juice which she had bought. After consuming the juice, Mahesh started feeling uneasy. On checking, he found that the juice packet purchased was without an FPO mark. He realised that there is a strong need to educate consumers about the role of NGOs before buying any good or service. State any six functions which the NGOs can perform to impart knowledge and educate consumers.

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2020Subjective· 6mImportance★★★★★

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Concept understanding — Consumer Advocacy Role

Consumer Responsibilities

Think about the last time you bought something — a phone, a snack, a pair of shoes. You probably checked the price, maybe the brand, and handed over the money. But did you check the expiry date? Did you ask for a bill? Did you read the terms of the warranty? Most of us don't. We assume the seller will be honest, and that if something goes wrong, someone else will fix it.

That assumption is the problem. In the marketplace, the seller has a clear interest — to make a profit. That interest does not always align with your interest as a buyer. Consumer responsibilities are the set of duties you, as a buyer, must perform to protect yourself and to keep the market fair for everyone. They are the flip side of consumer rights — you cannot demand your rights if you do not fulfil your responsibilities.

What the NCERT says

The NCERT textbook for Class 10 (Economics, Chapter 5) and Class 12 (Business Studies, Chapter 12) lists six core consumer responsibilities. They are not legal punishments — they are practical habits. Here they are, in plain language:

Be aware. Before you buy, gather information about the product — its quality, price, ingredients, safety features, and alternatives. A responsible consumer does not buy blindly.
Think critically. Do not fall for exaggerated advertisements or "limited period" pressure. Ask: Do I really need this? Is the price fair? Is the claim realistic?
Insist on a bill or cash memo. This is not a formality. The bill is your only proof of purchase. Without it, you cannot complain, exchange, or claim a warranty.
Check the product thoroughly. Look for the MRP, expiry date, manufacturing date, ISI/Agmark/FSSAI marks, and any defects. Do this before paying.
Use the product safely and as instructed. Read the manual. Follow usage guidelines. Misuse voids your right to complain.
Speak up when cheated. If you are sold a defective product, short weight, or false claim, file a complaint with the seller first, then with the consumer forum if needed. Silence encourages fraud.

Important

Consumer responsibilities are not optional moral advice — they are the practical foundation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The law gives you rights, but it expects you to act with care and honesty in return. A consumer who never asks for a bill has, in practice, given up their right to redress.

Why this matters beyond exams …

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NGOs educate and protect consumers through awareness camps/seminars, informative publications, legal aid, encouraging protest and redressal, comparative product testing, and filing complaints/cases in consumer courts on consumers' behalf.

Non-Governmental Organisations working in consumer welfare — like the one Mahesh joined — play an important role, alongside government machinery, in educating and protecting consumers. Six functions such NGOs commonly perform to impart knowledge and educate consumers are:

Organising training programmes, seminars and workshops to educate the general public about their consumer rights and responsibilities.
Publishing magazines, periodicals and pamphlets that impart knowledge about consumer problems, product quality, reliefs available and other matters of interest.
Providing legal aid and guidance to consumers — advice and assistance in seeking a legal remedy when they have been wronged.
Encouraging consumers to strongly protest against unfair, exploitative trade practices of sellers and to take action to seek redressal. …

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Same / Similar Concept — real previous-year questions on the same or a closely similar concept, not this exact question.

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›Reveal solutionSolution

Ahmedabad is connected with the Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC).

In this GSEB Class-12 Commerce consumer-protection question, the Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad, is a major voluntary consumer organisation known for product testing, education and public-in …

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$Q. In which court can public interest litigation be filed?$
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PIL is filed in the Supreme Court and High Courts.

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VOICE (Voluntary Organisation in Interest of Consumer Education) and Common Cause are both genuine non-government organisations (NGOs) that work for consumer protection in India, so the answer is both of them.

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$Q. In which court, can the Public Interest Litigation be filed?$
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Public Interest Litigation can be filed in the Supreme Court.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is a petition filed to protect the interest of the general public, and it is entertained by the higher judiciary. Among the options given, the Supreme Court can accept a PIL (as can a High Court). Ordinary crim …

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$Q. Write True or False: National Consumer Day is celebrated on 24th March every year.$
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False — India's National Consumer Day is observed on 24th December every year (marking the day the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 received presidential assent), not on 24th March as stated.

National Consumer Day is celebrated in India on 24th December each year, commemorating the day the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 came into force, giving consumers a formal legal framework to protect their rights and seek redressal of grievances. (The date "15th March" is instead observed internationally as World Consumer Rights Day, marking the day U.S. President John F. Kennedy outli …

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$Q. Non-governmental organisation in India is (A) VOICE (B) Common Cause (C) Both (A) and (B) (D) None of these$
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VOICE and Common Cause are both genuine Indian consumer NGOs, so the answer is both.

Non-governmental organisations play a major role in consumer protection by spreading awareness, guiding complaints and filing cases in consumer courts. VOICE (Voluntary Organisation in Interest of Consumer Education) and Common Cause are two recognised consumer organisations in India.

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$Q. Where is the head office of Consumer Coordination Council situated?$
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$Which organisation gives permission for the use of 'ISI' mark on product?$
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The Consumer Coordination Council is headquartered in New Delhi. Alternatively, the Bureau of Indian Standards grants the right to use the ISI mark.

The Consumer Coordination Council (CCC) is an apex body of consumer organisations in India and has its head office in New Delhi.

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$Q. Fill in the blank: Department of consumer affairs, (GOI) has been undertaking ______ campaign, for generating awareness among consumers.$
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The blank is filled by the 'Jago Grahak Jago' campaign.

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National Consumer Day is celebrated on 24th December.

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False — no such award exists under the Consumer Protection Act or the Ministry of Consumer Affairs; the statement names a scheme that is not part of India's real consumer-protection machinery.

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National Consumer Day — 24 December every year, commemorating the date the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 received Presidential assent, used nationwide to spread consumer-rights awareness.

Consumer Protection Councils — at Central, State and District level, created under the Act to promote and protect consumer rights.

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