Which of the following gives the correct description of the sub- divisions of the Mughal empire in the proper descending order?

1. Central Administration of the Mughal Empire (basic)

At its zenith, the Mughal Empire was a massive entity stretching from the mountains of Afghanistan to the fertile plains of Bengal, and from the valleys of Kashmir down to the Tamil region in the south History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.199. To govern such a vast expanse, the Mughals did not rely on local whims; instead, they established a uniform and centralized administration. This system was designed to ensure that the Emperor's authority reached from the grand courts of Delhi and Agra down to the smallest rural village. At its core, this was a military-cum-bureaucratic apparatus known as the Mansabdari system, which looked after both civil and military affairs THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.), Peasants, Zamindars and the State, p.214.

The territorial structure of the empire was organized like a pyramid. To manage the vast land effectively, the empire was first divided into large provinces called Subahs, each headed by a governor known as a Subahdar. These Subahs were then subdivided into smaller administrative districts called Sarkars. Finally, the Sarkars were broken down into Parganas, which were clusters of villages that acted as the primary point of contact between the central government and the rural population. This structured hierarchy ensured efficient revenue collection and maintained law and order across diverse regions.

At the central level, the Emperor was assisted by key ministers who acted as the pillars of the state. One such vital official was the Mir Bakshi, who served as the head of the military department and the intelligence wing History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Marathas, p.232. While the system remained strong under a powerful central authority, it required constant cooperation between the monarch and the nobility to prevent the provinces from asserting autonomy Modern India, Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.), Indian States and Society in the 18th Century, p.35.

Administrative Level	Equivalent to	Key Feature
Subah	Province	Largest unit, governed by a Subahdar.
Sarkar	District	Intermediate unit for administrative control.
Pargana	Tehsil/Taluka	A cluster of villages; the interface with rural society.

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.199; THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.), Peasants, Zamindars and the State, p.214; History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Marathas, p.232; Modern India, Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.), Indian States and Society in the 18th Century, p.35

2. The Mansabdari and Jagirdari Systems (intermediate)

To understand how the Mughal Empire maintained such a vast military and administrative presence without a modern banking system, we must look at the Mansabdari system. Introduced by Akbar, this was a unique hierarchy where every officer—whether they were a general in the army or a clerk in the palace—was assigned a Mansab (rank). These officers, known as Mansabdars, formed the backbone of the imperial structure History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.206.

The genius of the system lay in its dual-ranking mechanism. A Mansabdar's status and responsibilities were defined by two numerical designations: Zat and Sawar. While the Zat determined the officer's personal status and salary, the Sawar determined the actual military strength they had to maintain for the Emperor's service Exploring Society: India and Beyond, NCERT (Revised ed 2025), Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.54. This allowed the state to assemble a massive army at a moment's notice without the burden of maintaining a permanent, centralized standing army at the capital.

Term	Primary Purpose	What it Determined
Zat	Personal Rank	The official's salary and their position in the court protocol.
Sawar	Military Rank	The number of cavalrymen (horsemen) the official was required to maintain.

Now, how were these officials paid? While some received cash, most were paid through the Jagirdari system. A Jagir was a specific area of land assigned to a Mansabdar. The Mansabdar (in this capacity called a Jagirdar) did not own the land; instead, he was granted the right to collect the land revenue from that territory to cover his own salary and the costs of maintaining his troops History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.207.

Crucially, the Mughals were careful to prevent these officials from becoming independent local lords. To ensure loyalty, Jagirs were not hereditary. When a Mansabdar died, the land was resumed by the state (a process called Escheat). Furthermore, officials were frequently transferred from one Jagir to another to prevent them from building deep roots and challenging the Emperor's authority History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.207.

Sources: History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.206-207; Exploring Society: India and Beyond, NCERT (Revised ed 2025), Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.54

3. Mughal Land Revenue Systems (Zabt and Dahshala) (intermediate)

To understand the Mughal Empire's longevity, we must look at its financial backbone: the land revenue system. During Akbar’s reign, the administration moved away from arbitrary taxing toward a scientific, data-driven method of assessment. The architect of this reform was Raja Todar Mal, a brilliant administrator who rose to the position of Diwan History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.206. His reforms culminated in two interlinked systems: the Zabt and the Dahshala.

The Zabt System was primarily based on the physical measurement of land. Before this, revenue was often a matter of guesswork or simple crop-sharing. Under Zabt, every plot of land was measured using a standardized bamboo rod with iron rings (the Jarib). The unit of measurement was the Bigha. Once the land was measured, the revenue was fixed based on the specific crop grown and the area it occupied. This brought precision to the state's demands, though it initially required annual price fixings which were administratively exhausting.

To overcome the fluctuations of annual pricing, Akbar and Todar Mal introduced the Dahshala System (1580-82). "Dah" means ten in Persian. This system involved calculating the average yield and the average price of various crops over the preceding ten years. One-third of this average was fixed as the state’s share. This gave the government a predictable income and the farmers a stable tax rate that didn't change wildly with every harvest. To maintain fairness, land was categorized by how often it was farmed:

• Polaj: Land cultivated annually (highest revenue).
• Parauti: Land left fallow for a year or two to regain fertility.
• Chachar: Land left fallow for three to four years.
• Banjar: Land uncultivated for five years or more.

While this system was highly organized, it relied on a hierarchy of officials and local Zamindars. These Zamindars were members of dominant clans who held hereditary rights over the land and had the power to evict peasants who failed to pay their dues History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.214. This revenue structure ensured the Empire could maintain its vast military and administrative machinery.

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.206; History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.214

4. Administrative Units of the Delhi Sultanate (The Precursor) (intermediate)

To understand the Mughal administrative machine, we must first look at the foundation laid by the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526). The Sultanate, comprising five successive dynasties from the Mamluks to the Lodis, introduced a centralized political system where the Sultan held absolute military and political authority Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.25, 53. However, governing a vast and often resistant landscape required a structured way to delegate power and collect revenue. This was primarily achieved through the Iqta system, where the empire was divided into territorial assignments called Iqtas. These were granted to nobles, known as Iqtadars or Muqtas, who collected taxes to maintain their troops and sent the surplus to the royal treasury Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.53. As the Sultanate expanded, particularly during the Tughlaq era, these broad territorial divisions became more refined. The administrative hierarchy generally followed this descending order:

• Iqta: The largest province-like unit, headed by a Muqta or Wali.
• Shiq: These were districts created by dividing Iqtas to ensure better control, headed by a Shiqdar.
• Pargana: A smaller unit comprising a cluster of villages, where local officials managed land records.
• Village: The basic unit of administration, often left under the traditional leadership of local headmen.

This system was transitional. While the Mughals later perfected these layers into a rigid, uniform hierarchy (Subah-Sarkar-Pargana), the Sultanate's Shiq and Iqta were the vital precursors. It is important to note that these positions were not initially hereditary; the Sultan maintained control by frequently transferring Muqtas to prevent them from becoming local kings History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board), Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.152.

Sources: Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.25; Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.53; History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board), Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.152

5. Key Officials: Faujdar, Amalguzar, and Kotwal (intermediate)

To understand the Mughal Empire's longevity, we must look at how they maintained control at the district level, known as the Sarkar. The Mughal administration was built on a system of 'checks and balances' where military, revenue, and judicial powers were distributed among different officials to prevent any single individual from becoming a local autocrat.

The three pillars of district administration were:

• Faujdar: The executive and military head of the Sarkar. Think of him as a provincial general who maintained law and order. His primary duty was to suppress rebels and assist in the smooth collection of revenue if local zamindars became defiant. Even into the early colonial era, the importance of this role was recognized, leading to the temporary restoration of faujdar thanas to control dacoity Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Constitutional, Administrative and Judicial Developments, p.517.
• Amalguzar (or Amil-guzar): The chief revenue collector of the district. His job involved two critical stages: Assessment (calculating the jama or expected revenue) and Collection (the actual hasil). Akbar explicitly instructed Amalguzars to be friendly to cultivators, encouraging them to pay in cash while remaining flexible enough to accept payments in kind if necessary Themes in Indian History Part II, Peasants, Zamindars and the State, p.213.
• Kotwal: While the Faujdar handled the countryside, the Kotwal was the City Prefect. He was responsible for urban law and order, patrolling streets, and even regulating municipal matters like market prices and weights and measures.

Official	Primary Domain	Key Responsibility
Faujdar	Sarkar (District)	Military, Law & Order, Executive power
Amalguzar	Sarkar (District)	Land revenue assessment and collection
Kotwal	Town / City	Urban police, market regulation, and municipal duties

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India, Constitutional, Administrative and Judicial Developments, p.517; Themes in Indian History Part II, Peasants, Zamindars and the State, p.213; Themes in Indian History Part II, Peasants, Zamindars and the State, p.218

6. Provincial Governance: The Subahdar and the Subah (intermediate)

To manage an empire that stretched from Afghanistan to Bengal, the Mughals could not rely on a single central office in Delhi or Agra. Instead, they pioneered a uniform, centralized administration that divided the empire into manageable units known as Subahs (provinces) History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.199. During Akbar's reign, the empire was initially divided into twelve Subahs, a number that grew as the empire expanded south into the Deccan. This system was designed to ensure that the Emperor's authority reached the furthest corners of the realm while maintaining a delicate balance of power at the local level.

At the helm of each province was the Subahdar (also known as the Sipah Salar or Nazim). Think of the Subahdar as the Emperor’s shadow in the province; he held executive, military, and judicial powers. His primary duties included maintaining law and order, commanding the local army, and ensuring the smooth implementation of imperial decrees. Interestingly, much like the modern Office of the Governor in India acts as a link between the State and the Center, the Subahdar served as the vital bridge between provincial needs and imperial command Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Governor, p.313.

The genius of the Mughal system lay in its checks and balances. To prevent a Subahdar from becoming too powerful or attempting to break away, the Emperor appointed a Provincial Diwan. While the Subahdar looked after the military and executive functions, the Diwan was in charge of revenue and finance. Crucially, the Diwan was not a subordinate to the Subahdar; he reported directly to the Wazir (Central Finance Minister) at the imperial court Exploring Society: India and Beyond, NCERT Class VIII, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.53. This "dual authority" ensured that no single official had total control over both the sword and the purse strings.

Beneath the Subah, the administrative hierarchy continued downward to ensure the state could effectively collect taxes and maintain order at the grassroots level:

Administrative Unit	Description	Key Official
Subah	The Province	Subahdar (Governor)
Sarkar	District (Sub-division of a Subah)	Faujdar (Military/Police) / Amalguzar (Revenue)
Pargana	A cluster of villages (Tehsil level)	Shiqdar (Executive) / Kanungo (Records)

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.199; Exploring Society: India and Beyond, NCERT Class VIII (Revised ed 2025), Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.53; Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Governor, p.313

7. Hierarchy of Mughal Territorial Sub-divisions (exam-level)

To manage an empire that stretched from the mountains of Afghanistan to the fertile plains of Bengal, the Mughals developed a highly standardized, hierarchical administrative structure. This system wasn't just about drawing lines on a map; it was designed to ensure that the central authority in Delhi or Agra could effectively collect revenue and maintain law and order across vast distances. As noted in History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.199, this created a uniform and centralized administration that became the backbone of their power for over two centuries.

The hierarchy followed a logical descending order, moving from the macro-level of the province down to the micro-level of the village:

• Subah (Province): The largest administrative unit. At the height of Akbar’s reign, the empire was divided into 12 original Subahs (later 15), each headed by a Subahdar (Governor) who held both executive and military powers. The Ain-i-Akbari provides detailed statistical accounts of these provinces Themes in Indian History Part II, Peasants, Zamindars and the State, p.218.
• Sarkar (District): Each Subah was further divided into several Sarkars. Think of these as the equivalent of modern-day districts. They were crucial for the oversight of local law enforcement and revenue audits.
• Pargana (Sub-district): Each Sarkar was subdivided into Parganas. A Pargana was essentially a cluster of villages and served as the primary interface between the imperial state and the rural agrarian society. Within the Pargana, the term Mahal was also used, primarily referring to a fiscal unit for revenue purposes.

It is important to distinguish this Mughal system from the earlier Delhi Sultanate. While the Sultanate used terms like Iqta, Shiq, and Wilayat, the Mughals refined and standardized the Subah-Sarkar-Pargana model. Additionally, one should not confuse territorial units with official titles; for instance, an Amil was a revenue official, not a geographical division. This structure remained remarkably stable, with even the later independent states that emerged in the 18th century—like Bengal and Avadh—continuing to use these administrative frameworks Modern India, Bipin Chandra, Indian States and Society in the 18th Century, p.17.

Sources: History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.199; Themes in Indian History Part II, Peasants, Zamindars and the State, p.218; Modern India, Bipin Chandra (NCERT 1982 ed.), Indian States and Society in the 18th Century, p.17

8. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

Now that you have mastered the individual components of Mughal governance, this question tests your ability to visualize the entire administrative hierarchy in action. During the reign of Akbar, the empire was systematized into a pyramid-like structure to ensure effective revenue collection and law enforcement from the imperial capital down to the smallest village cluster. By recognizing that the Mughals replaced the looser structures of their predecessors with a standardized chain of command, you can see how these territorial "building blocks" stack together to form the backbone of the state as described in NCERT History Class XII: Themes in Indian History Part II.

To arrive at the correct answer, let's trace the power flow from the top down. The largest administrative unit was the province, or Subah, overseen by a Subahdar. Within each Subah, the administration was further broken down into districts known as Sarkar, managed by a Faujdar. Finally, each Sarkar comprised several Parganas, which served as a cluster of villages and the primary level for local revenue assessment. This logical flow from macro to micro leads us directly to (C) Subah, Sarkar, Pargana. Remember: always visualize the map shrinking as you move down the hierarchy.

UPSC often uses the "chronological trap" to confuse students, and this question is a prime example. Terms like Muqta (a land grantee) and Shiq—seen in Options (A) and (B)—are actually associated with the Delhi Sultanate era, not the Mughal period. Furthermore, Option (D) includes Amil, which is a common distractor because it refers to a revenue official (a person) rather than a territorial subdivision (a place). Distinguishing between a geographical unit and a functional office is a critical skill you must use to eliminate incorrect choices effectively.