Gold Collar professions represent which of the following activities?

The correct answer is Option (2) → Quinary Activities

Option (1) Quaternary Activities — Incorrect. Quaternary activities are the collection, production and dissemination of information, not top-level decision making.

Option (2) Quinary Activities — Correct. Quinary activities are performed by the highest level of decision makers or policy makers. Often called ‘gold collar’ professions, they need the special and highly paid skills of senior business executives, government officials, research scientists and financial and legal consultants.

Option (3) Tertiary Activities — Incorrect. This is the whole service sector; quinary activities are only its top layer.

Option (4) Secondary Activities — Incorrect. Secondary activities turn raw materials into finished products (manufacturing). Their factory workers are the blue collar workers.

Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2025 on 14-05-2025 (Slot 2), and in CUET (UG) 2023 on 20-06-2023 (Slot 1) and 09-06-2023 (Slot 1).