What does the term 'education inflation' imply about job qualifications over time?

The term 'education inflation' refers to the trend where the qualifications required for certain jobs increase over time, even for positions that may not necessarily demand those higher qualifications. This means that over the years, employers may have begun to prefer candidates with higher educational credentials than what was traditionally required.

For example, a job that previously needed a high school diploma may now require a bachelor's degree, even if the actual duties of the job haven't changed significantly. This shift reflects a broader societal expectation that higher education equates to higher competency and productivity.

In this context, option B accurately captures the essence of education inflation, as it highlights the movement towards stricter educational qualifications for many positions in the workforce. Other options do not align with this concept as they either suggest consistency, reduced rigor, or a significant decrease in qualifications, all of which would not represent the trend observed in education inflation.