Student Consumer Club – Final Report

Student Consumer Club – Final Report

December 2015 – March 2016

Organised by Consumers Association of India

in Partnership with Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection

Student Consumer Club, SCC program was launched in 20 schools in Chennai District in December 2015 by Consumers Association of India (CAI) in partnership with Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, Government of Tamil Nadu. SCC program was aimed to create awareness among young consumers on consumer related issues and thus empower them to be agents of change.

This program was implemented in 20 schools, 10 Government and 10 Matriculation schools in Chennai district covering all four Education district in Chennai. 2338 Students from Class 8 and 9 attended the following 3 awareness programs. 

1.   Consumer Responsibilities and Rights as envisaged in CP Act 1986

2.   Food Safety and Water Safety 

3.   Personal hygiene and Environmental protection

“Student Consumer Club- Hand Book” exclusively compiled by CAI for SCC  students was distributed to all 2338 students, teachers and school head. 

The campaign was launched in December 2015 and ended in March 2016 and had reached to 2338 students directly and through them to 11690 consumers. Around 75000 consumers were reached out through press and other media.

Competitions

Four competitions, Elocution, Drawing, Project on Misleading labels and Project on Misleading advertisements was conducted for all students consumer club members. These 4 competitions were conducted at 2 levels – School and final level. At school level a total of 319 students participated and 180 of them were awarded first 3 prizes at school levels. Final Competition for all the first prize winners from 15 schools was held on 8^th March, 2016 at Museum auditorium where 42 students competed. Following are the final prize winners :-

Drawing Contest

1.   1^st Prize- Anjana, St. Johns Matric Hr. Sec. School, Villivakkam

Elocution Competition

1.   Sundar. B – PAK Palanisamy Higher Sec School

Project on Misleading Labels

1^st Prize- Jaigopal garodia Matric Higher Sec School

1.   T. V. Kamalesh

2.   V. Manikandan

3.   S. Sanjay Srinivasan

4.   H. Gowtham

5.   S. Lokesh

Project on misleading Advertisements

1^st Prize- St. Johns Matric Hr. Sec. School

1.   R. Ashrafi

2.   S. Sharmitha

3.   R. Moushmi

4.   S. Jayashree

5.   R. Varshitha

Valedictory Program

 

Valedictory program of Student Consumer Club was organised on 8th March, 2016 at Museum auditorium, Egmore. Mr. S. Gopalakrishnan, IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner for civil supplies and consumer protection was the chief guest. 

Commissioner spoke that as consumers students should be aware and knowledgeable before making a purchase and they should never become victims of false claims and unsafe products. He congratulated the students who had participated in the competitions and gave away the prizes to winners of 4 competitions.

Ms. Nirmala Desikan, Chairman and Managing Trustee of Consumers Association of India welcomed the gathering. Mr. G. Santhanaraj, Director, CAI gave the overview of SCC activities. Mr. M.R. Krishnan, Deputy Director, CAI delivered vote of thanks. Ms. Kalyani Rajaraman, Project Director, Student Consumer club of CAI was incharge of this program.

Outcome

SCC program has produced enormous awareness among all 2338 students on consumer related issues. Students informed that first time in their school activities, new, informative and useful topic was taught. They were all excited to know that they were consumers, they have 8 rights and about the legal benefits that they can avail as a consumer if they were cheated. After the first program all students have started reading labels before buying any product and they had refused to accept food that was sold after expiry date. 

Students also shared their experience that many shops were selling juices, stationery and some food products more than the MRP. They had questioned, argued and have refused to pay above MRP. Some of the shops are now selling at MRP and all of them felt empowered as a knowledgeable and aware consumer.

Teachers who attended the programs have requested CAI to organise such programs for teachers first and then to students as they themselves were not aware of any such information. Schools have started inquiring about the programs planned for next academic year. Students have in-turn educated their parents, siblings and friend on all that they have learnt. SCC program has created a multiplier effect.

10 Ethiraj college students were trained as Master trainers and they in-turn went to schools and trained consumer club members.

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