DoCA Forms Committee to Develop Reparability Index for Electronics

New Delhi, Sep 25 (KNN) In a significant move towards empowering consumers and promoting sustainability in the tech industry, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) has formed a committee to devise a robust framework for a "Reparability Index."

The initiative, announced Tuesday, aims to provide consumers with greater transparency regarding the reparability of their products, while fostering a sustainable electronics market.

According to the official government statement, "By developing the Reparability Index, DoCA seeks to provide consumers with greater transparency of repair information for their products and foster a more sustainable technology industry."

The Reparability Index will incorporate several critical factors designed to build a strong repair ecosystem for consumers.

One key component is providing comprehensive repair information, such as detailed repair manuals, diagnostics, and a list of necessary tools.

This will empower consumers to undertake repairs themselves or access the right resources for fixing their products.

Another crucial aspect is ensuring the availability of spare parts. The index aims to make spare parts easily identifiable and deliverable in a timely manner, addressing one of the biggest hurdles in product repair—accessibility to essential components.

Affordability will also be a priority, with the goal of making repair tools inexpensive, widely available, and safe for consumer use.

This could encourage more consumers to consider repair as a viable alternative to replacing products, further contributing to sustainability efforts.

Additionally, products will be encouraged to adopt a modular design, meaning key components will be designed for independent access and ease of replacement.

This design approach could significantly improve the reparability of electronics, allowing users to swap out broken parts instead of discarding the entire product.

Finally, the economic feasibility of repair must be ensured. The cost of both parts and labor will be kept affordable, making repairs a more cost-effective option for consumers compared to buying new products.

This balance between affordability and ease of repair is essential for the reparability index to succeed in promoting a sustainable and consumer-friendly electronics market.

(KNN Bureau)