Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists

List I | List II
I. Iqta | (A) Marathas
II. Jagir | (B) Delhi Sultans
III. Amaram | (C) Mughals
IV. Mokasa | (D) Vijayanagara

1. Principles of Medieval Land Revenue (basic)

Concept: Principles of Medieval Land Revenue

2. The Delhi Sultanate: Iqtadari System (basic)

To understand the Iqtadari System, we must first look at the practical challenge faced by the Delhi Sultans. Managing a vast empire required a massive army and a loyal bureaucracy, but paying every soldier and official in cash was difficult in a medieval economy. To solve this, the Sultans introduced the Iqta system—a method of granting the right to collect revenue from specific territories in exchange for military and administrative service.

The system was institutionalized by Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, who used it to consolidate the Turkish hold over India History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.140. Under this system, the empire was divided into various tracts of land called Iqtas. These were assigned to nobles and military commanders, known as Iqtadars (or Muqtis/Walis). It is crucial to remember that an Iqta was not a grant of land ownership; it was merely a grant of the right to collect revenue from that land Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.53.

The Iqtadar had three primary responsibilities:

• Administration: Maintaining law and order within their assigned territory.
• Military Service: Maintaining a fixed number of troops which they had to provide to the Sultan during wars.
• Financial Remittance: After meeting their personal expenses and the cost of the army, any surplus revenue (called fawazil) had to be sent back to the Sultan's central treasury Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.53.

Feature	Iqtadari System (Delhi Sultanate)
Nature of Grant	Revenue assignment, NOT hereditary ownership.
Primary Goal	To maintain a standing army without direct cash payments from the treasury.
Control	Iqtadars were frequently transferred to prevent them from becoming local kings.

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.140; Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.53

3. Mughal Empire: Jagirdari and Mansabdari System (intermediate)

To understand how the Mughal Empire maintained such a vast territory, we must look at its "steel frame": the Mansabdari System. Think of it as a unique blend of a civil service and a military hierarchy. Introduced by Akbar, this system ensured that every officer of the state—from a small-town administrator to a high-ranking general—was part of a single, unified service. Each officer was given a Mansab (rank), making them a Mansabdar. As noted in History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.206, this system was the backbone of the empire's systematic and centralized administration.

A Mansabdar's status was defined by two specific numbers: Zat and Sawar. The Zat was the personal rank that determined the officer's status in the court hierarchy and their personal salary. The Sawar, on the other hand, indicated the number of cavalrymen (horsemen) the officer was required to maintain for the Emperor's service. This military-cum-bureaucratic apparatus allowed the state to mobilize a massive army at a moment's notice without the Emperor having to manage every single soldier directly THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII, Peasants, Zamindars and the State, p.214.

While some were paid in cash (Naqdi), the majority were paid through Jagirs—assignments of land revenue from a specific region. It is crucial to remember that a Jagirdar did not own the land; they only had the right to collect the revenue equivalent to their salary. To prevent these officials from becoming too powerful or local "kings," the state transferred them every few years and ensured the rank was not hereditary. Upon a Mansabdar's death, their Jagir was immediately resumed by the state History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.207.

Feature	Zat Rank	Sawar Rank
Purpose	Determines personal status and salary.	Determines military obligation (number of horses).
Focus	The individual official's position.	The official's contribution to the imperial army.

By the time of Aurangzeb, the system began to crumble under its own weight. There was a sharp increase in the number of Mansabdars but a shortage of good land to distribute, a crisis known as Bejagiri. This led to a situation where Jagirdars tried to extract as much revenue as possible from the peasantry to cover their costs, leading to widespread agrarian distress and weakening the empire's foundations Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), India on the Eve of British Conquest, p.69.

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Mughal Empire, p.206-207; THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.), Peasants, Zamindars and the State, p.214; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), India on the Eve of British Conquest, p.69

4. Vijayanagara Empire: The Nayankara System (intermediate)

The Amara-nayaka system was the definitive political innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire, serving as the bridge between central authority and provincial administration. At its core, the system involved the Raya (king) granting specific territories to military commanders known as Amara-nayakas. While these chiefs were primarily military leaders who controlled forts and armed supporters, they also functioned as provincial governors responsible for civil administration and economic development within their assigned lands THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.175.

The economic logic of this system was rooted in revenue collection. The Amara-nayakas collected taxes and dues from peasants, craftspersons, and traders. This revenue was not simply sent to the capital; it was divided into three functional parts:

• Military Maintenance: A significant portion was used to maintain a stipulated contingent of horses and elephants, which the Raya could call upon during wars.
• Personal and Public Use: They retained a portion for their personal expenses and for the maintenance of essential infrastructure like temples and irrigation works THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.175.
• State Tribute: They sent an annual tribute to the king and personally attended the royal court with gifts to demonstrate their fealty.

Historically, scholars believe many features of this system were inspired by the Iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate, though it was adapted to the South Indian context. Despite their role as pillars of the empire, the relationship between the kings and the nayakas was often characterized by a delicate balance of power. While the nayakas usually spoke Telugu or Kannada and participated in state religious ceremonies alongside the king, they were also prone to rebellion, requiring the central government to assert its authority through military force THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.175, 184.

Feature	Iqta System (Delhi Sultanate)	Amara-Nayaka System (Vijayanagara)
Primary Goal	Salary payment and revenue collection.	Military mobilization and provincial stability.
Chief Obligation	Maintaining troops for the Sultan.	Maintaining horses/elephants; annual tribute to the Raya.
Social Role	Often administrative outsiders.	Deeply involved in local temple patronage and irrigation THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.175.

Sources: THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.175; THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.184

5. Maratha Revenue: Chauth, Sardeshmukhi, and Mokasa (intermediate)

To understand the Maratha Empire's rise to power, we must look at how they funded their massive military apparatus. Since the resources from their core kingdom (Swarajya) were often insufficient, Shivaji and later the Peshwas implemented a sophisticated revenue system involving Chauth, Sardeshmukhi, and Mokasa. These weren't just simple taxes; they were strategic tools used to assert Maratha dominance over neighboring territories like the Mughal provinces and the Sultanate of Bijapur History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Marathas, p.230.

Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were primarily collected from regions outside the direct control of the Marathas. Chauth (literally meaning 'one-fourth') was a protection tax; by paying 25% of their revenue, these territories were guaranteed immunity from Maratha raids. Sardeshmukhi was an additional 10% levy that Shivaji claimed by virtue of his legal position as the Sardeshmukh (the hereditary head) of the Maratha people. This wasn't just about money; it was a formal recognition of his sovereignty History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Marathas, p.230.

Feature	Chauth	Sardeshmukhi
Percentage	25% (One-fourth)	10%
Justification	Protection money to avoid Maratha invasion/raids.	Claimed based on the King's legal status as head of the people.
Target Area	Neighboring enemy territories (e.g., Mughal lands).	The same territories, layered on top of Chauth.

While Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were about external expansion, Mokasa (or Mokhasa) was an internal administrative tool. It refers to land revenue assignments granted to military or civil officials in lieu of a cash salary. Interestingly, Shivaji initially tried to move away from this system, preferring to pay his officials directly from the state treasury to prevent them from becoming too powerful or hereditary Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII, NCERT (Revised ed 2025), The Rise of the Marathas, p.72. However, as the Maratha Empire expanded under the Peshwas, the Mokasa system became more prominent as a way to reward commanders and manage the vast new territories conquered across India History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Marathas, p.232.

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Marathas, p.230, 232; Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII, NCERT (Revised ed 2025), The Rise of the Marathas, p.72

6. Comparative Analysis of Medieval Land Grants (exam-level)

In medieval India, the lifeblood of any empire was its revenue and the military forces it could command. Because transporting massive amounts of cash across vast distances was difficult, rulers developed land grant systems. Under these systems, instead of a salary, an official or military commander was given the right to collect revenue from a specific territory. This wasn't land ownership; it was a right to the income from that land in exchange for maintaining troops and providing administrative service. This administrative evolution is a key theme when studying the Rise of Territorial Kingdoms History class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects, p.45.

The systems evolved across different dynasties, each with its unique flavor. The Iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate (formalized by Iltutmish) was the foundation. Later, the Mughals refined this into the Jagir system, which was deeply integrated with their Mansabdari rank structure. While Iqtas and Jagirs were theoretically transferable to prevent officials from becoming local warlords, the Vijayanagara Empire utilized the Amaram system, where Nayakas (military chiefs) held lands with a higher degree of local permanence. Finally, the Marathas utilized Mokasa (or Mokhasa) grants to reward their military commanders during their rapid expansion across the Deccan.

System	Empire/Rulers	Key Characteristic
Iqta	Delhi Sultanate	Revenue assignment for military service; non-hereditary.
Jagir	Mughals	Tied to Mansabdari rank; frequent transfers to prevent local power bases.
Amaram	Vijayanagara	Granted to Nayakas; included obligation to maintain elephants and troops.
Mokasa	Marathas	Revenue rights from a village or territory granted to military chiefs.

Sources: History class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects, p.45

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

Now that you have explored the administrative evolution of medieval India, this question brings all those building blocks together. It tests your ability to distinguish between land revenue systems that, while functionally similar as forms of military-bureaucratic compensation, are distinct markers of specific dynasties. The Iqta and Jagir systems represent the evolution of centralized authority in the North, while Amaram and Mokasa reflect the unique socio-political structures of the Deccan and South India. Integrating these concepts is key to mastering the administrative history of the period, as seen in Satish Chandra's History of Medieval India.

To arrive at the correct answer, start with your strongest "anchors." You know that Iqta was the foundational land-grant system of the Delhi Sultans (I-B), and its more sophisticated successor, Jagir, was the cornerstone of the Mughal Mansabdari system (II-C). Identifying these two immediately eliminates options (A) and (D). Next, look at the southern systems: Amaram refers to lands assigned to the Nayakas (military commanders) in the Vijayanagara Empire (III-D), while Mokasa (or Mokhasa) refers to land grants or revenue rights given to Maratha officials (IV-A). This logical sequence leads you to Option (B).

UPSC frequently uses "distractor" patterns, such as those found in options (A) and (C), where they swap systems belonging to the same geographic region or chronological era. For example, in Option (C), the matches for Amaram and Mokasa are inverted. This is a common trap designed to catch students who might confuse the administrative terminology of contemporary Deccan powers. Remember: always verify the specific nomenclature—while both are land grants, Amaram is intrinsically tied to the Nayankara system, whereas Mokasa is a signature of the Maratha fiscal administration.