• KISHAN KUMAR SINGH

Description

  ABOUT THE LAW

The Right to Repair movement aims to give customers and independent repair businesses the legal freedom to fix their own electronic equipment, including laptops, cellphones, and other gadgets, without being compelled to utilize the manufacturer's approved repair services. The movement contends that manufacturers ought to be forced to give consumers and independent repair shops access to repair manuals, tools, and replacement components. This would free consumers from having to use the manufacturer's authorized repair network, which is frequently more expensive and time-consuming, and instead allow them to fix their gadgets themselves or take them to a repair shop of their choosing.

PROPOSED FRAMEWORK

The idea originally originated from the USA where the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act 2012, required the manufacturers to provide the necessary documents and information to allow anyone to repair their vehicles. Makers would be required, under this legislative framework, to provide customers with information about their products so they can fix their own or someone else's products instead of dependent on the original makers. The law also seeks to harmonize trade between Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and independent buyers and sellers, thereby generating new employment opportunities.

SECTORS COVERED 

1. Farming equipment
2. Mobile phones/ tablets
3. Consumer durables
4. Automobiles/automobile equipment

5. BENEFITS

   Cost Savings: Right to Repair laws would give consumers and independent repair shops access to affordable repair options, which can help reduce the cost of repairing electronic devices. This can be especially important for low-income households that may not be able to afford expensive manufacturer repairs or replacement devices.

   Extended Lifespan of Products: By providing access to repair information and replacement parts, Right to Repair laws can help extend the lifespan of electronic devices. This can reduce e-waste and the environmental impact of electronic devices.

   Increased Competition: Right to Repair laws would promote competition in the repair market by allowing independent repair shops to compete with manufacturer repair services. This can lead to better and more affordable repair services for consumers.

   Job Creation: Independent repair shops can create jobs in local communities, especially in rural areas where access to repair services may be limited.

   Consumer Choice: Right to Repair laws would give consumers the choice of where to repair their electronic devices, whether it be through the manufacturer or an independent repair shop. This can increase consumer satisfaction and reduce frustration with limited repair options.

   E- waste:-It will help reduce the vast mountain of electrical waste (e-waste) that piles up each year on the continent.

     WHY DO WE NEED

   The "Right to Choose" of the client is violated by manufacturers' general proprietary control over spare components, including their design.
   

   On the warranty cards for a number of items, it is stated that customers risk losing their warranty benefit if they have their products fixed by a company that is not authorized by the manufacturer.

   Companies also tend to shy away from publishing guides that enable users to carry out repairs quickly.

   The manufacturers of technological products and services don't give customers access to all available manuals, schematics, and software updates.

   "Planned obsolescence" is a culture that is promoted by manufacturers.
   

   1.    In this system, each device is created with the intention of lasting only for a set amount of time, after which it must be replaced.

   2.     In addition to becoming e-waste, a device that cannot be repaired or falls under planned obsolescence—designing a product with an artificially limited useful life—forces users to buy new products since they cannot be repaired to reuse them.

   FUTURE SCOPE
   

   To enable the product to be fixed in the event of small flaws, third parties, including individuals, should have access to the components and tools needed to service devices, including diagnostic instruments.

   A right to repair law might be especially helpful in a nation like India, where authorized workshops are scarce in the hinterland and service networks are frequently patchy.

   The unorganized repair industry in India does a decent job of repairs.

   However, if such legislation were to be passed, the caliber of repair and maintenance services could significantly increase.

6.