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UPPCS Pre 1992

Mughal Administrative Innovation

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Military system in the reign of Akbar was based on:

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept Akbar needed a way to organize his vast ruling class and military officers into a unified hierarchy. The Mansabdari system was his solution, blending civil status with military duty.

Explanation The Mansabdari system was the backbone of Akbar's military. Every officer was given a Mansab (rank) ranging from 10 to 10,000. It was divided into Zat (personal status and salary) and Sawar (the number of cavalrymen the officer had to maintain for the state).

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: It was not hereditary; the rank was granted based on merit and loyalty, and could be taken back by the Emperor.
Logic 2: While Ain-i-Dahsala (Option D) was a land revenue method and Zamindari was a local landholding system, the actual 'military organization' was defined exclusively by the Mansabdari ranks.

Active Recall

Question

What was the difference between Zat and Sawar?

Answer

Zat determined the personal rank and salary of the noble, while Sawar determined how many mounted soldiers they were required to bring into the field.

Core Insight

The Mansabdari system allowed Akbar to maintain a massive standing army without the state directly managing every single soldier, outsourcing the recruitment to his trusted nobles.

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