The National Consumer Helpline (NCH), administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs, has emerged as a single-point access system for consumers across the country seeking grievance redressal at the pre-litigation stage. With a strong push towards technology-driven reforms, the helpline has witnessed a sharp rise in engagement and trust among consumers.
The technological transformation of the NCH has significantly enhanced its call-handling capacity over the years. The number of calls received increased from 62,172 in December 2019 to 3,59,336 in December 2025, reflecting growing consumer confidence in the platform. Similarly, the average number of complaints registered per month rose substantially from 37,062 in 2017 to 1,47,635 in 2025. Digital modes of grievance registration have also gained popularity, with complaints filed through WhatsApp increasing from 12% in December 2023 to 21% in December 2025.
Consumers across India can register grievances in 17 languages, including Hindi, English, Kashmiri, Punjabi, Nepali, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Maithili, Santhali, Bengali, Odia, Assamese and Manipuri, by calling the toll-free number 1915. Complaints can also be filed through the Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM), an omni-channel, IT-enabled central portal, using WhatsApp, SMS, email, the NCH mobile app, the web portal consumerhelpline.gov.in, and the UMANG app.
According to a report tabled in Parliament by Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution B L Verma, as many as 1,398 companies have voluntarily partnered with the NCH under the ‘Convergence’ programme. These companies directly respond to consumer grievances as per their internal redressal mechanisms and provide feedback to complainants through the portal. Complaints against non-partner companies are forwarded to the concerned firms for resolution.
The National Consumer Helpline website has also been upgraded to function as a central access point for grievance redressal across the country. The revamped platform features improved navigation, user-centric design and enhanced functionality aimed at faster grievance resolution and a smoother user experience.
As part of the NCH 2.0 initiative, the helpline has introduced artificial intelligence-based speech recognition, translation systems and an AI-enabled chatbot. These innovations allow consumers to file complaints using voice input, reduce manual intervention and provide real-time assistance, making the process more efficient and inclusive for users from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
Between April 25, 2025 and January 31, 2026, the NCH facilitated refunds worth Rs 52 crore across 31 sectors by addressing 79,521 consumer grievances related to refund claims. A structured mechanism is in place to handle all grievances received through the helpline, with the average disposal time for complaints routed through CPGRAMS recorded at 13 days in 2025.
In a further step to modernise consumer dispute resolution, the Department of Consumer Affairs launched the e-Jagriti portal on January 1, 2025. The portal integrates artificial intelligence and machine learning with modern features such as faceless onboarding and role-based dashboards. It brings together multiple existing systems, including OCMS, eDaakhil, NCDRC CMS and CONFONET, into a single scalable platform, enabling consumers to file complaints online with multilingual support, submit documents digitally, make online payments and participate in virtual hearings.
Video conferencing facilities have already been installed and made operational at 10 benches of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and 35 benches of State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions. The adoption of e-Jagriti has reduced reliance on physical proceedings and accelerated justice delivery. After July 2025, the NCDRC and consumer commissions in 12 states and Union Territories recorded disposal rates exceeding 100%. In 2025 alone, 1,62,474 cases were filed and 1,50,197 were disposed of, surpassing the disposal performance of 2024. Additionally, 679 non-resident Indians registered complaints through the e-Jagriti portal from abroad up to February 28, 2026, highlighting the platform’s expanding global reach.
