UPSC Prelims 1998 · General Studies
Question 1: Economy and Social Development
Some time back, the Government of India decided to delicense the ‘white-goods’ industry. ‘White goods’ include
AnswerThe answer is (c).
White goods are household consumer durables such as refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners: high-value items bought mainly by better-off households, which is why the key describes them as goods bought for conspicuous consumption. They are not basic necessities. Delicensing meant makers no longer needed an industrial licence to produce them, part of the wider move away from licensing in the 1990s. Remember: white goods are durable appliances, while soaps and detergents are fast-moving consumer goods.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Utensils are everyday necessities, not what 'white goods' means.
- (b) Milk and milk products are food items, not white goods.
- (c) Right: durable appliances for comfort and status, bought mainly by better-off households.
- (d) Soaps and detergents are mass-consumption goods, the opposite of high-value durables.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1998, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.