Sarita bought a flat from Sugan Developers for ₹ 5 crore and was shocked to discover that the quality of const

Question

Q. Sarita bought a flat from Sugan Developers for ₹ 5 crore and was shocked to discover that the quality of construction was bad, roof leaked during the rainy season and plaster was coming off at various places. Which consumer forum should she approach for redressal of her grievance ? (A) District Commission (B) State Commission (C) National Commission (D) Supreme Court

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2023MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★

✓ Free question

Concept understanding — Consumer Grievance Redressal

Imagine you buy a new phone, and within a week the screen freezes. You take it back to the shop, but the shopkeeper shrugs and says, "Not my problem." That feeling of helplessness — that is exactly the problem Consumer Grievance Redressal is designed to solve.

At its simplest, a grievance is a complaint — a feeling of being wronged or cheated. Redressal means getting that wrong fixed. So Consumer Grievance Redressal is the entire system of laws, courts, and procedures that lets a buyer (you) get a fair remedy when a seller or manufacturer cheats, overcharges, sells a defective product, or provides poor service.

Important

The core idea is that the consumer is not helpless. The law gives you a right to be heard and a right to seek redressal. Without this system, a marketplace would be a jungle where the seller always wins.

The NCERT textbook (Class 10 Economics, Chapter 5) explains this under the Consumer Movement in India. It says that the government set up a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery to handle complaints — like a special set of courts just for consumer problems. This is called the Consumer Disputes Redressal Agencies, commonly known as Consumer Courts.

Here is how the system works, from the smallest problem to the biggest:

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (DCDRF): For complaints where the value of goods or services plus the compensation claimed is up to ₹1 crore. You file this at the district level.
State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC): For claims between ₹1 crore and ₹10 crore. This is the state-level appeal court.
National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC): For claims above ₹10 crore. This is the highest consumer court in India, located in New Delhi.

If you are still unhappy after the NCDRC, you can appeal to the Supreme Court of India.

Note

You do not need a lawyer to file a case in a consumer court. The process is designed to be simple, cheap, and fast — much faster than regular civil courts. You can file a complaint on a plain piece of paper, or even online in many states.

Why does this matter for you as a student? Because every day you are a consumer — buying a pen, a bus ticket, a meal, or a phone. Knowing that a system exists to protect you changes your behaviour. You start asking for a bill, checking the expiry date, and demanding a warranty. That confidence is what makes a market fair.

The textbook also lists the six rights of a consumer, and the right to redressal is one of them. The others are: right to safety, right to be informed, right to choose, right to be heard, and right to consumer education. All six work together, but redressal is the one that actually fixes the problem after it has happened.

A quick example to tie it together: You order a ₹5,000 jacket online. It arrives torn. You email the company, they ignore you. You can:

Write a formal complaint to the company (first step).
If they don't respond, file a case at the District Consumer Forum (since the value is under ₹1 crore).
The forum will hear both sides, and if you are right, order the company to replace the jacket or refund your money, plus possibly pay compensation for the harassment.

That is consumer grievance redressal in action — turning your helplessness into a legal right.

Sarita's complaint involves a flat worth ₹ 5 crore, which is more than ₹ 1 crore but not more than ₹ 10 crore, so she must approach the State Commission.

Under the Consumer Protection Act, a three-tier redressal machinery hears complaints according to the value of the goods or services paid for. For CBSE Class 12 Business Studies purposes, the correct forum is decided purely by this pecuniary (money-value) limit.

District Commission — complaints where the value of goods/services paid as consideration does not exceed ₹ 1 crore.
State Commission — value exceeds ₹ 1 crore but does not exceed ₹ 10 crore.
National Commission — value exceeds ₹ 10 crore.

Sarita paid ₹ 5 crore for the flat and now faces a clear deficiency in service — a leaking roof and peeling plaster. Her consideration of ₹ 5 crore is above ₹ 1 crore and below ₹ 10 crore, which places her squarely within the original jurisdiction of the State Commission. The District Commission cannot hear it because the value far exceeds ₹ 1 crore, and the National Commission would apply only if the value crossed ₹ 10 crore. The Supreme Court is not part of the consumer redressal machinery for original complaints; it only hears appeals from the National Commission on points of law.

Important

The thresholds are clear-cut: up to ₹ 1 crore → District; above ₹ 1 crore up to ₹ 10 crore → State; above ₹ 10 crore → National. These limits fix original jurisdiction.

✓Final answer

Sarita should approach the State Commission (Option B), because her complaint involves consideration of ₹ 5 crore, which exceeds ₹ 1 crore but does not exceed ₹ 10 crore.

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

Showing the 12 most recent of 25 on this concept.

CBSE 2026Set MARCH1 mark
$Q. Name any one redressal agency under the Consumer Protection Act.$
›Reveal solutionSolution

The Consumer Protection Act provides a three-tier redressal machinery: the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission. Naming any one answers the question.

✓Final answer
$District Commission is a redressal agency under the Consumer Protection Act. To provide simple and quick relief to consumers, the Act sets up a three-tier system of quasi-judicial agencies: (1) District Commission (District Forum) at the district level, (2) State Commission at the state level, and (3) National Commission at the national level. A consumer files a complaint at the level appropriate to the value of the goods/services and the compensation claimed, and can appeal to the next higher level. Any one of these three is a correct answer. This redressal machinery is a central topic in the consumer protection unit of Karnataka 2nd PUC Business Studies.$
CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Who can file a complaint under the Consumer Protection Act?$
›Reveal solutionSolution
A complaint under the Consumer Protection Act can be filed by a consumer, a registered consumer organisation, the Government, or a deceased consumer's legal heir.

Under the Consumer Protection Act, the following persons are eligible to file a complaint:

Any consumer who has bought goods or availed services (or his/her legal heir or representative in case the consumer has died).

Any registered consumer association or voluntary consumer organisation.

The Central Government or any State Government.

One or more consumers, on behalf of numerous consumers having the same interest.

Thus not only the affected consumer but also these other parties can approach the consumer forums for redressal.

✓Final answer
$A complaint can be filed by a consumer (or the legal heir/representative of a deceased consumer), any registered consumers' association, the Central or State Government, or several consumers having a common interest.$
CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. The levels of consumer's council are:$
(a) One
(b) Two
(c) Three
(d) Four
›Reveal solutionSolution

There are three levels of consumer councils/commissions.

The consumer grievance redressal machinery is a three-tier system: the District Commission (district level), the State Commission (state level) and the National Commission (national level). A consumer files his complaint at the level fixed by the value of goods/services and compensation claimed. Hence there are three levels.

✓Final answer
$Three.$
CBSE 2025Set 66/2/11 markMCQ
$Q. As per the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 which of the following statement is correct ? (A) In case the aggrieved party is not satisfied with the order of the District Commission, he can directly appeal before the National Commission. (B) In case the aggrieved party is not satisfied with the order of the District Commission, he can directly appeal before the Supreme Court. (C) In case the aggrieved party is not satisfied with the order of the State Commission, he can directly appeal before the Supreme Court. (D) In case the aggrieved party is not satisfied with the order of the National Commission, he can appeal before the Supreme Court.$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, appeals move stepwise: District Commission → State Commission → National Commission → Supreme Court. Only the National Commission’s order can be appealed directly to the Supreme Court.

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019, replaced the older 1986 law to make grievance redressal faster and more accessible. It set up a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery: the District Commission, the State Commission, and the National Commission. Each handles complaints based on the value of goods or services involved. But what happens when a party is unhappy with a decision? The Act lays down a clear ladder of appeals — you cannot skip a rung.

Let’s look at the options one by one.

Option (A) says that if someone is dissatisfied with the District Commission’s order, they can appeal directly to the National Commission. That is incorrect. The Act states that an appeal against a District Commission order lies with the State Commission — not the National Commission. You must go step by step.

Option (B) suggests a direct appeal from the District Commission to the Supreme Court. That is also wrong. The Supreme Court is the highest level; you cannot jump straight to it from the bottom tier.

Option (C) claims that an appeal from the State Commission can go directly to the Supreme Court. Again, no. The correct route is from the State Commission to the National Commission. Only after the National Commission’s order can a party approach the Supreme Court.

Option (D) says that if a party is not satisfied with the National Commission’s order, they can appeal before the Supreme Court. This is exactly what the Act provides. Section 67 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, allows any person aggrieved by an order of the National Commission to file an appeal to the Supreme Court within thirty days from the date of the order.

Important

The appeal hierarchy under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, is strictly sequential: District Commission → State Commission → National Commission → Supreme Court. No intermediate level can be skipped.

So the only correct statement among the four is that an appeal lies from the National Commission to the Supreme Court. The other three options describe shortcuts that the law does not permit.

✓Final answer
$In short, under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, only the order of the National Commission can be appealed directly to the Supreme Court — making option (D) the correct choice.$
CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Consumer Protection Act is effective in India from (A) 1986 (B) 1987 (C) 1988 (D) None of these$
›Reveal solutionSolution

The Consumer Protection Act came into force in 1986, setting up a three-tier redressal system and codifying consumer rights; a new Consumer Protection Act was passed in 2019, but the classic reference in this syllabus is 1986.

The 1986 Act protected consumers against defective goods, deficient services and unfair trade practices and created District, State and National redressal agencies. It was the landmark consumer-protection law for decades and is the answer intended here. (Students should note that the 2019 Act has since replaced it.)

✓Final answer
$(A) 1986.$
CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Under the Consumer Protection Act, complainant means (A) Consumer (B) State Government (C) Central Government (D) All of these$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Under the Consumer Protection Act a 'complainant' includes a consumer, a registered consumers' association, the Central Government and the State Government (and legal heirs of a consumer), so the answer is all of these.

The Act deliberately defines complainant widely so that disputes can be raised not only by the affected consumer but also by the government and consumer organisations acting in the public interest. Since the consumer, the State Government and the Central Government are all covered, the correct answer is 'all of these'.

✓Final answer
$(D) All of these.$
CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. The machinery for settlement of consumer disputes is (A) One-tier (B) Three-tier (C) Two-tier (D) None of these$
›Reveal solutionSolution
The Consumer Protection Act provides a three-tier redressal machinery: the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission, with appeals moving upward.

District Commission — handles smaller-value claims at the district level.

State Commission — higher-value claims and appeals from the District Commission.

National Commission — the highest value claims and appeals from the State Commission.

This three-level structure gives consumers a quick and graded redressal system.

✓Final answer
$(B) Three-tier.$
CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Answer in one word/sentence: Consumers grievance are heard on how many levels?$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Consumer grievances are heard at three levels.

The consumer redressal system is a three-tier machinery: the District Commission (district level), the State Commission (state level) and the National Commission (national level). A consumer files his complaint at the level decided by the value of goods/services and compensation claimed. Hence grievances are heard on three levels.

✓Final answer
$Three levels (District, State and National Commissions).$
CBSE 2024Set MARCH1 mark
$Q. If the complainant is not satisfied by the judgement of District Level Forum, then to whom should he appeal for reconsideration and within what period?$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Appeal to the State Commission within 30 days.

Under the consumer redressal machinery, if a complainant is not satisfied with the decision of the District Forum, he can appeal to the next higher body, the State Commission, within 30 days from the date of the order. (Similarly, an appeal against the State Commission lies with the National Commission, and against the National Commission with the Supreme Court, each within the prescribed period.)

✓Final answer
$Appeal to the State Commission, within 30 days of the District Forum's order.$
CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Redressal Agencies under the Consumer Protection Act are (A) National commission (B) State commission (C) District forum (D) All of these$
›Reveal solutionSolution
Redressal under the Act is through a three-tier system of District, State and National commissions, so the answer is (D) All of these.

To settle consumer disputes, the Consumer Protection Act sets up a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery: the District Commission (formerly District Forum) at the district level, the State Commission at the state level, and the National Commission at the national level. A consumer approaches the level matching the value of the claim and can appeal to the higher level. Because all three are redressal agencies, the inclusive option is correct.

(A), (B) and (C) are each only one tier of the three-tier system.

✓Final answer
$(D) All of these — National, State and District commissions are the redressal agencies.$
CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Fill in the blank: Consumer grivences are redressed by the ______ tire machinery.$
›Reveal solutionSolution
The blank is filled by three (3): consumer grievances are redressed by the three-tier machinery.

To give consumers simple and quick relief, the Consumer Protection Act sets up a three-tier quasi-judicial redressal machinery:

District Commission — for smaller-value complaints, filed at the district level.

State Commission — for medium-value complaints and appeals from the District Commission.

National Commission — for the highest-value complaints and appeals from the State Commission.

A consumer approaches the appropriate level according to the value of goods/services and compensation claimed. Hence the machinery is a three-tier one.

✓Final answer
$Three (3).$
CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Write answer in one sentence: How many levels are there in consumer forum?$
›Reveal solutionSolution

There are three levels of consumer forums.

Under the consumer protection machinery, a three-tier redressal system exists: the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (district level), the State Commission (state level) and the National Commission (national level). A consumer files a complaint at the level decided by the value of the goods/services and compensation claimed.

✓Final answer
$Three levels (District, State and National Commissions).$

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