Page 136 - Understanding Economics for Class 10

When choice is denied – A Refund

 Abirami, a student from Ansari Nagar, joined a two-year professional course in New
Delhi, paying `61,020 upfront. Unsatisfied with the teaching quality after one year, she
requested a refund for the remaining year's fee but was denied.
Goyal Brothers Prakashan
 She took the matter to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, which
ordered the institute to refund `28,000, and the State Consumer Commission upheld
this decision. The institute was fined `25,000 for a frivolous appeal and directed to pay
Abirami `7,000 as compensation and litigation costs.
 Additionally, the State Commission imposed a restriction on all educational and professional
institutions, prohibiting them from collecting fees for the entire course duration in advance,
under the risk of penalties and imprisonment.

 The above case shows that every individual regardless of age, gender and nature of service,
has the right to choose whether to continue to receive the service.
 Example: If a shopkeeper insist you to buy a toothbrush along with a toothpaste, when
you want to buy only toothpaste, your right to choose is denied. In this way many a times
you are forced to buy things that you may not wish to and you are left with no choice.

LET’S WORK THIS OUT (Page No. 82)

1. The following are some of the catchy advertisements of products that we purchase from
the market. Which of the following offers would really benefit consumers? Discuss.
(i) 15 gm more in every 500 gm pack.
(ii) Subscribe for a newspaper with a gift at the end of a year.
(iii) Scratch and win gifts worth `10 lakhs.
(iv) A milk chocolate inside a 500 gram glucose box.
(v) Win a gold coin inside a pack.
(iv) Buy shoes worth `2000 and get one pair of shoes worth `500 free.
Ans. Offers like, A milk chocolate inside a 500 gram glucose box, Buy shoes worth `2000 and
get one pair of shoes worth `500 free. Such offers really benefit consumers. They are
getting something extra is sure, whereas in offers Scratch and win gifts worth `10 lakhs,
they are mainly to fool customers because generally after scratching we get try luck next
time, or something which does not have much value. They just show customers that they
can have a chance to win a big amount, and that chance is negligible.
Offer like subscribe for a newspaper with a gift at the end of a year- In this consumer.
has to make the payment for the whole year and then only he/she will be entitled to get
a gift. It may or may not be an attractive offer.

Where should consumers go to get justice?
Cases of Reji Mathew and Abirami shows that sometimes consumers are denied their rights.
Where should consumers go in these cases to seek justice?
 Consumers have the right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices and exploitation.
Consumers have the right to get compensation depending on the degree of damage, in
case of any damage.
 For this, there is a need to provide an easy and effective public system. With or without the
services of lawyers, the consumer can file a complaint before the appropriate consumer forum.
 To know how an aggrieved person gets his or her compensation, let us take an example:
 Prakash, for his daughter’s marriage had sent a money-order to his village. The
Economics Class X E-119