Role of Consumer Organisations and NGOs Class 12 in consumer protection is important as it helps in protecting the interest of the consumers and makes them aware of their rights and duties as a consumer. A detailed explanation of the topic is given below.
Role of Consumer Organizations and NGOs Class 12
With the ongoing changes in market conditions, caveat emptor has now changed to caveat vendor. This means “let the buyer beware” has now changed to “let the seller beware”. But, to increase sales or revenue, sellers may get involved in unfair trade practices and exploitative trade practices. To avoid this harm to consumers, it became important to protect the interest of consumers/buyers. Consumer protection has gained importance ever since. There are different acts and laws to govern the same.
Different consumer organizations and non – government organizations are also doing their part too, protect consumers from unscrupulous or exploitative activities. They play a very important role in educating consumers about the various malpractices, unfair trade practices, exploitative activities, or unscrupulous activities which are present in the market and tell them about their rights. They also take up the lead in forcing the business involved in such practices to stop immediately and thus work for the welfare of society.
Functions of Consumer Organizations and NGO
There are various functions performed by these consumer organizations and non – government organizations (NGOs). They are:
Education of the general public
Role of Consumer Organisations and NGOs class 12 can be understood as the Consumer associations or organizations, non-government organizations, or nonprofit organizations taking up the role of educating consumers. They tell them about their rights in the marketplace and thus help them avoid unscrupulous activities such as defective products, exploitation of the right to information or right to choose, etc. they inform them about their rights and also about their responsibilities while they are in the market and doing any kind of transactions.
Publishing periodicals/journals
These consumer organizations or NGOs publish periodicals, journals, publications, magazines, or monographs about various consumer problems, legal proceedings and reporting, and various reliefs available to consumers for different unfair trade practices. These help consumers in getting awareness and knowledge about the exploitation that is going on in the markets around the world and they will become aware while dealing with the seller.
Collecting data on different products and their testing under Role of Consumer Organisations and NGOs
These associations or organizations keep the knowledge about various available products in the market and then take up these products for testing so that they can publish reports about the products and their reviews. This helps the consumers to know about the variety of products available, their ingredients, and their comparison with other available brands in the market.
Encouragement for protest against exploitation
One of the important Function Of Consumer Organizations and NGOs Class 12 is These organizations are very active and work for the welfare of the consumers and thus inform consumers about their rights and also encourage them to stand up against wrong. They encourage and motivate the consumers to strongly protest or take legal action against various unfair trade practices, unscrupulous activities, exploitative activities, or malpractices such as unsafe products, adulteration, black marketing, etc.
Providing legal assistance to consumers
These organizations are very active in encouraging the consumers to stand up against the wrongdoings of the seller and when the consumers agree to file a legal complaint against the seller or protest, these organizations help these consumers with the legal aspect such as providing them with the legal knowledge, helping them find the lawyer, make them understand the legal requirements, providing them legal aid or legal advice, etc.
Filing complaints in consumer courts under Role of Consumer Organisations and NGOs
Many times, consumers are scared of filing the complaints themselves even after the encouragement given by the consumer associations or NGOs, and then these organizations or associations themselves file the case or complaint against the seller doing unfair trade practices in the right consumer court. These consumer courts include the district forum which takes up complaints about products whose price along with the compensation claimed is up to 20 lakhs, the state commission takes up the cases of the products or services whose price is between 20 lakhs and 1 crore along with the compensation claimed and the cases with are for the products costing more than 1 crore along with compensation claimed are referred to the national commission.
Filing the case in the general interest
Function Of Consumer Organizations and NGOs Class 12 can be understood as These organizations not only work for individuals but also for the welfare of society. When they find any exploitation or unfair trade practice in the market, they file the case against the doer for the general public’s interest. Cases can include hoarding misleading or false advertisements, adulteration, black marketing, etc.
Acts as grievance redressal body under Role of Consumer Organisations and NGOs
When any seller or manufacturer gets to know that the consumer confronts them about his or her grievances, then they take the matter seriously and resolve the consumer complaint as soon as possible. These consumer organizations and NGOs are also in contact with the sellers or manufacturers and thus help in the quick redressal of the grievances of the consumers.
There are some consumer associations and NGOs in India working for uplifting consumers and protecting their interests. They are as under:
- Akhil bharitya ghrahak panchayat.
- Consumer guidance society of India, Mumbai.
- United India consumer association
- Consumer coordination council, Delhi
- Consumer’s association, Kolkata
- Consumer unity and trust society, Jaipur
- All India consumer protection organization
- Consumer awareness, protection, and educational council
- Common cause, Delhi
- A consortium of South India Consumer Organisations (COSICO)
Consumer Organisations and NGOs Class 12 work selflessly for consumers and their rights are very important for a welfare society. They have constitutions and work of their own. A consumer whenever in need can contact any of these organizations. Non-government organizations also known as nonprofit organizations are important because they do not work for profit but genuinely help the consumers who have faced exploitation and also help others, so that, they do not face any exploitation in the future.