- ‘Visnagar Taluka Customer Protection Association’ is a well-known, Government recognized association awakening, protecting and fighting for customers’ rights for the last 25 years. Up to 2017, it ran its activities by launching clubs and units in 110 High Schools of Mehsana District, Gujarat. Since 2018, it also entered in Higher education. Our college got its one unit and established ‘Consumers’ Club’ in the college. As a result, ‘International Customers’ Protection Day’ was celebrated on 15th March 2019. Dr. S.G. Patel, the chairman of the club informed students about their various rights as a customer like Right to Safety, Choice, Expression, Information, Education, Environment, Compensation etc. and Right to satisfy basic needs. Dr. H.M. Patel made students aware about GST, MRP, Expiry date, precautions in purchasing from Mall and Sale, purchase of Gold\Silver, Cyber security, online shopping etc.
- During any college function or NSS Camps, we send our girls to purchase required things, items and ration from the market.
This activity is carried out with following objectives:
- To inform students about Customer Protection Act.
- To make students aware about their general rights as a customer. To make students cautious while purchasing anything On/Off line and inform about malpractices prevailing in measuring, weighing and selling of goods, commodities, clothes, medicines, food etc.
- To prevent students and their families from falling a prey to such fraudulent practices.
- To expose students to current market with practical knowledge.
Since ours is a rural college, our 100% intake is rural students and 80% of them are from poor families. In fact, ours is the smallest Girls’ college in the North Gujarat University. Girls are future house –wives. Most of our intake is from rural, uneducated and poor background. So they can easily become the victim of fraud. It is our prime duty to impart to them practical knowledge in modern times when the incidents of cheating and fraud are increasing day by day. Hence, the practice is quite relevant in this context to address various issues related to Girls and to prevent them from falling a prey to such fraudulent practices.
As a result of our efforts following attitudes have developed among students:
- No purchase without bill.
- While buying anything from the market, they compare coasts, quality and quantity; check MRP, expiry date, AGMark, FSSAI, Hall mark etc.
- Before purchasing gold or silver, girls and their parents consult us.
- In online shopping, they prefer ‘Cash on Delivery’ option instead of advance payment.
- They never share OTP, passwords or Aadhar Number without confirmation.
- They never forget to log out in public networks.
- We always suffer from the lack of funds to carry out such activities.
- The rural, conservative and patriarchal mind set does not grant permission and freedom to girls to take part in different activities.
- Problem of cheating in returning and replacing things after purchase.
- Attitude of purchasing from relatives and caste members.
- Experts are too costly to bring to our remote and interior college.
- Students with such background have little exposure to technology, market and online shopping.
- Sufficient Budget
- Affordable Experts