Centre Forms Committee to Develop Mobile and Electronics Repairability Index Framework

Nitin Konde, Apoorva Bajj

Sep 25, 2024 — 2 min read

Centre Forms Committee to Develop Mobile and Electronics Repairability Index Framework

A committee of experts, chaired by Bharat Khera, Additional Secretary, DoCA, has been established by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) of the Government of India. The committee's objective is to recommend an effective structure for the Repairability Index, as well as to promote sustainable practices within the tech industry and empower consumers. To promote a more sustainable technology industry and provide consumers with more transparent repair information for their products, DoCA is developing the Repairability Index.

The National Workshop on the Right to Repair in the Mobile and Electronics Sector, which took place on August 29, 2024, was a watershed moment in the fight for consumer rights and sustainability. At the event, industry leaders came together to reach a consensus on how to measure components' repairability, how to make products last longer, and how to make repair information and spare parts available to everyone, even after products are discontinued.

Mobile and Electronics Are Rapidly Expanding in India

Electronics and mobile devices are thought to have the fastest-growing demand and the shortest lifespans. It was generally agreed upon throughout the workshop that in addition to facilitating easy access to spare parts, the Repairability Index framework was designed to give consumers crucial information regarding the repairability of products so they could make well-informed purchasing decisions.

Consumers will be able to make decisions about products based on repairability thanks to the Repairability Index, a consumer-focused index. Additionally, it can standardise the process of evaluating repairability, which will facilitate customer comparison shopping by allowing repairability indexing to be compared across a range of electronics and mobile items.

The index will establish an ecosystem in which customers can readily compare items and select options that are consistent with the principles of sustainable and mindful spending by standardising the assessment of repairability. By filling in the knowledge gaps necessary to repair the items, enabling repair will thereby increase consumer satisfaction in addition to guaranteeing the availability of reasonably priced repair choices.

Important Elements of the Repair Ecosystem

Comprehensive Repair Information: Access to repair manuals/DIYs, diagnostics, and a list of necessary tools and parts.
Accessible Spare Parts: Easily identifiable and timely delivery of spare parts
Affordable Tools: Inexpensive, widely available, and safe tools for consumers.
Modular Design: Key components designed for independent access and modularity.
Economic Feasibility: Ensuring that the cost of repair parts and labor is affordable for consumers.

In light of the aforementioned requirements, it is anticipated that the committee will make a recommendation for a framework that allows for policies, rules, and guidelines that support repairability and the integration of repairability index with the existing regulatory provisions in the mobile and electronics sector. This will be done with the intention of improving the consumer experience when it comes to reusing the mobile and electronic products that they own.