Question

Aspiration is nothing new. Neither is the debate over what the Indian middle class is, what it wants and what it buys. Since the mid-80s, that has been the focus of the economic policy papers so called pro- and anti-poor budgets and marketing strategies that have successfully broken the barrier of urban selling and reached deeper into rural India with increasing income levels and aspirations.
Based on the above passage, it can be inferred that

• A. the Indian middle class has been the focus of economic policies for a long time.
• B. the Indian middle class has graduated from being the 'deprived' middle class to the 'pampered' middle class.
• C. Both (1) and (2)
• D. Neither (1) nor (2)

Hint:

In inference-based questions, focus on explicit details provided in the passage. Here, the passage directly mentions the ongoing focus on the Indian middle class in economic policies since the mid-80s.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The passage clearly mentions that the Indian middle class has been the focus of economic policy discussions since the mid-80s, with debates over what it desires and its role in economic growth. This indicates that the middle class has been an important factor in shaping economic policies for a long time.
- Option (A) is correct because the passage directly states that the Indian middle class has been the subject of economic policy papers for a long time.
- Option (B) talks about the transition from a 'deprived' to a 'pampered' middle class, but the passage does not provide enough information to support this claim directly. The passage mainly discusses economic focus and aspirations, not a specific transformation of the middle class.
- Option (C) is incorrect because while (A) is correct, (B) is not directly supported by the passage. - Option (D) is incorrect since (A) is supported by the passage.
Thus, the correct answer is Option (A): the Indian middle class has been the focus of economic policies for a long time.