Repairability Index

• 17 May 2025

Source: TH 

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) has submitted a report on the Framework on Repairability Index (RI) for consumer electronics and appliances, aiming to assign scores to products based on their ease of repair, aligning with the right to repair movement. 

• Consumer electronics will be scored based on their repairability, considering factors like availability of spare parts, cost of repair, software updates, and repair information. 
• This is due to planned obsolescence and cost-cutting on materials and quality (leaner engineering choices) amid rising metal prices and market competition.  
  • Planned obsolescence focuses on creating short-term product life cycles to drive repeat sales, whereas leaner engineering uses minimal materials to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and deliver high-quality products at lower cost.  
• The right to repair empowers consumers and businesses to fix their own devices without manufacturer restrictions, ensuring access to necessary tools, parts, and documentation. 
• DoCA has formed a committee chaired by Nidhi Khare that led to the creation of Right to Repair Portal India, offering consumers easy access to product repair and maintenance information.

Read More: Repairability Index for Mobile and Electronic Sectors