National Consumer Helpline: Register a Consumer Complaints to National Consumer Helpline (NCH), Ministry of Consumer Affairs

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has been launched by the Department of Consumer Affairs of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution (MoCA) under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. NCH is an Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM) of the Ministry for arbitration and protection of consumer rights.

If any person buys something and faces problems with the quality of the product or service, they can complain against the seller/manufacturing company to NCH.

Consumers can report issues like fraud, fake products, bad services, financial scams, fake transactions, and problems related to GST (Goods and Services Tax). It’s easy to file a complaint online through the NCH platform.

Help & guidance by National Consumer Helpline:

• Make aware and provide details of Companies and Regulatory Authorities.
• Provide guidance and services to consumers for filing complaints against defaulting Service Providers
• Integrated Consumer Grievances Redressal Mechanism to Redress Cases of Consumers
• Mechanisms, educating consumers about their consumer rights and responsibilities as per the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Additionally, you can also lodge grievances to the concerned company, Ombudsman, and national/state/district consumer commission or court.

How to Complain with the National Consumer Helpline?

According to the citizen charter and knowledge base of the Department of Consumer Affairs, consumers can use the Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM) to file a complaint against any company, institution, or public unit about product & services that violates consumer rights.

For this, you can use the toll-free National Consumer Helpline Number or complain online through the online grievance registration portal.

Matters that will not be accepted:

• RTI Matters
• Court-related/Subjudice matters
• Grievance against foreign Government
• Religious matters
• Suggestions

Consumer Complaint Registration Fees & Redressal Time:

Grievance Redressal Mechanism:

• Level 1: File a Complaint against the Product/Service Provider to the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) with supporting documents.
  • Toll-free consumer helpline number
  • Email/WhatsApp
  • Online complaint registration (INGRAM)
  • NCH/Umang App
• Level 2: Start an arbitration with the company or service provider with the help of NCH to reach an agreement and settle the dispute.
• Level 3: If not satisfied with an agreement or have not resolved your complaint, you may file a formal consumer complaint against the service/product provider to the National/State/District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (Consumer Court) through E-DAAKHIL.

Further, you may take legal action by approaching the judicial court. Before this, you should consult with a legal expert to know available remedies and legal challenges.

Please note: If you have any complaints about the Department of Consumer Affairs or officers of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), you can lodge a grievance online to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs through the CPGRAMS (Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) of Govt. of India.

National Consumer Helpline Number

Consumers can report disputes related to products/services or any violation of rights through the available toll-free helpline numbers of NCH and WhatsApp. While registering of consumer complaint, must provide:

• Name and communication details of the complainant
• Nature of complaint
• Details of product & service with facts like order ID, service/product provider, model/batch ID, etc.
• Supporting documents (if any) such as bills, photos, or warranty card

Official toll-free consumer helpline numbers to complain with the Department of Consumer Affairs (NCH):

Tip: You can also report online cybercrimes or online financial frauds to the Cyber Police through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal of the Government.

File Consumer Complaint Online to NCH

The INGRAM has made it easy to lodge a consumer complaint online with NCH. If you want to file your consumer complaint against any company or organization then use the online grievance registration portal of the MoCA.

Requirements to lodge an online consumer grievance:

• Personal details for account registration
• Nature of complaint
• Details of product & service including purchase city, industry, product value, and company name
• Dealer details (if known)
• Description of the disputed matter with facts
• Attach copies of supporting documents related to product/service

For reference, see the attached image of the grievance form.

Details to file an online consumer complaint with the National Consumer Helpline, GOI:

GST Frauds: If you have complaints about GST (Goods & Service Tax) tax fraud then report online to DGGI (Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence) with tax invoice details (if available).

Still, not resolved to your satisfaction? You may File a Complaint in the Consumer Commission on E-DAAKHIL – Consumer Court against the company. Further, you may take legal action.

Procedure

Follow the procedure to lodge your consumer complaint online to the National Consumer Helpline through the Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM)

• Step 1: Visit the above link to log in/register yourself on the National Consumer Helpline portal (https://www.consumerhelpline.gov.in)
• Step 2: If not already registered, click the sign-up button, fill out the Consumer Registration Forum and enter the given captcha. Finally, click the ‘Sign Up’ button.
• Step 3: If you have already an account or register using the above link, log in using your account credentials.
• Step 4: Choose the Grievance Registration Form – 1. Consumer Grievance, 2. Misleading Advertisement, 3. File a complaint in the Consumer Commission on E-DAAKHIL
• Step 5: To Register a complaint to ‘Consumer Grievance’ and click on it. Fill out the consumer complaint form.
• Step 6: Upload the required documents related to the product and services. Consumers can upload supportive documents.
• Step 7: Click the ‘Submit’ button. Note down the Grievance Docket Number to track the status of your registered complaint to NCH.
• Step 8: To know the status of your registered complaint, use the track grievance option at consumerhelpline.gov.in or log in to check the dashboard.
• Step 9: If requested by the officials of NCH then upload the requested documents by logging in again.

Remember – You can file a petition to the District, State, or National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission using the Consumer Commission on the E-DAAKHIL portal based on the value of good & service.

Report to NCH

Consumers can Register complaints about the below-listed industries and their products, and misleading advertisements and also can complain online to the consumer commission (E-Daakhil).

1. Misleading Advertisement

If you ever encounter false or misleading advertisements from companies on any platform, complain online through Grievance Against Misleading Advertisement (GAMA) to report these deceptive ads to NCH. Whether it’s false claims, misleading information, or any other issue, GAMA is designed to help consumers like you.

List of the nature of misleading advertisement complaints:

• Country of origin of product
• False claims in the advertisement
• Misleading claims in the advertisement
• Not getting benefits as advertised
• Not getting promised gifts/prizes
• Not refunding as advertised
• Wrong information about products or services

2. Consumer Products & Services

Types of industries and categories of consumer products and services against which consumers can register a complaint to NCH are:

1. Services: Services of consumer experiences.

• From specialized boutique and laundry services to convenient car and bike rentals, and engaging entertainment services such as cinema and concerts, consumers encounter diverse service providers.
• Event planning for weddings and parties, gadget insurance, and placement agencies fall under this category too.
• Furthermore, there are essential services like healthcare, legal assistance, education, and transportation, which include higher education, job-oriented courses, private education, and public transport services.
• Additionally, consumers often face challenges in areas such as home relocation (packers & movers), real estate dealings, retail shopping, and travel planning.

2. Products: The products category of tangible items that consumers purchase

• This includes agricultural products such as fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds for farming.
• The automobile industry includes cars and bikes for consumers, and the pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors with drugs, cosmetics, and masks.
• Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) with a variety of everyday products like apparel, toiletries, and personal care items.
• Petroleum products, a vital part of modern life, are also part of this category.

3. Utilities: Utilities include essential services that consumers rely on in their daily lives.

• Broadband and internet services including electricity, DTH (Direct-to-Home), cable services, and entertainment systems.
• Postal services facilitate communication, and telecom services keep people connected. Additionally, water supply and sewage services are critical utilities for every community.

3. Government and Public Services: This category involves services and systems managed by the government for public use.

• It includes services provided by airlines and airports, government transportation (buses, metro rail), and the public distribution system, which includes ration cards.
• Railways, a vast public transportation network, fall under this category too.

4. Miscellaneous: General issues and quality of services

• Including cybercrime, tax-related issues, and women’s helplines.
• Publications including magazines, and newspapers, or adherence to product standards, ensuring quality and safety for consumers.

5. Financial Services: Consumer disputes with financial & banking services

• Various insurance options such as general, health, and life insurance including vehicle insurance.
• Engagements with banking and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs)for services related to loans and financial products.

Frequently Asked Questions About Consumer Protection (2019), NCH

Q. What is the Consumer Protection Act, of 2019

A. Consumer Protection Act, 2019 is an amended version of the Consumer Protection Act, of 1986. It empowers consumer rights and provides a mechanism to redress the grievances about the products & services for which a consumer pays.

Q. What are the New Provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, of 2019

A. The government has added some new provisions to the Consumer Protection Act, of 2019. These are some new provisions for which consumers can register complaints to NCH or the Consumer Commission.

• Establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)
• Changes in the Pecuniary Jurisdiction
• Alternate Dispute Resolution through mediation
• Unfair Contract
• Strict Norms for Misleading Advertisement
• Inclusion of E-commerce, Direct selling
• Greater ease of dispute resolution
• Strict Norms for Product Liability
• In addition in the clause of “Unfair Trade Practice”

Q. Who is a Consumer according to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019?

A. According to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 the ‘buys any goods’ in any expression or hires and gets any services that include offline or online transactions by means of multi-level marketing, teleshopping/e-commerce shopping, or electronic means.

The consumer is defined as a person who has been fully paid, partially paid, or promised to pay by any means or may come under any system of deferred payment for such goods or beneficiary of services.

Q. Who is not a Consumer?

A. According to the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 – “Commercial purpose does not include use by a person of goods bought and used by him exclusively for the purposes of earning his livelihood by means of self-employment.”

Conditions not acceptable as a Consumer:

• Goods free of charge (Not paid)
• Services free of charge
• Goods for resale or any commercial purposes
• Services for any commercial purposes
• Services under the contract of service

Q. What are the Consumer Rights provided in the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019?

A. These are the six consumer rights that are provided in Consumer Protection Act, 2019 to the Consumers:

1. Right to be Informed
2. Right to Choose
3. Right to Safety
4. Right to Consumer Awareness
5. Right to be Heard
6. Right to Seek Redressal

Q. What are Consumer Grievance Dispute Redressal Authorities/Agencies?

A. Consumer Grievance Dispute Redressal Authorities/Agencies work on the 3 levels as a quasi-judicial body. The 3-Level of Consumer Commission:

• District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission or District Commission
• State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission or State Commission
• National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission or National Commission

Q. What are the Product and service Value Limits of the Consumer Commission according to CPA, 2019?

A. Limit of the product & service case value in the Consumer Commission under CPA, 2019:

Q. What are the grounds to claim compensation from the product manufacturer?

A. The claim compensation should be paid by the product manufacturer to the consumer If the product:

• Defective in design
• A deviation from manufacturing specifications
• Manufacturing defected
• Does not conform to the express warranty
• Fails to include adequate instructions on correct usage to prevent any harm or any warning regarding improper or incorrect usage.

Q. What type of reliefs are provided by the Consumer Commission to the Consumers?

A. The type of relief that consumers expect from the Consumer Commission under CPA, 2019:

• Refund of the price paid
• Removal of defects from the goods
• Replacement of the goods
• The compensation for the loss or injury suffered due to a service or product
• Removal of deficiencies & defects in product & service
• To stop, discontinue or ban unfair trade practice or restrictive trade practice
• Ban the hazardous goods or pressurise to follow the guidelines to handle hazardous goods from being offered for sale
• If loss of injury is faced by a large number of consumers then compensation must be paid (not less than 25% of product or service value) as determined by the commission
• To issue guidelines to correct misleading advertisements & can order to pay refund or compensation
• To provide adequate costs to parties

Q. Where can the approach be if Consumers are not satisfied with the order of the Consumer Commission?

A. If the consumer is not satisfied or the grievance is not redressed within the given period by the Consumer Commission. You can approach the higher authority or commission.

Details of the Consumer Commission and grievance redressal time by higher authority:

Reference

• Consumer Commission Rules & General Rules.pdf (consumeraffairs.nic.in)
• Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism – Knowledge Base (consumerhelpline.gov.in)
• FAQ Details – Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (consumerhelpline.gov.in)