UPPCS (Pre) 2019

Revenue and Economic Terminology

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Which of the following is not correctly matched?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: D

Concept Precision in terminology is essential for understanding the administrative and economic machinery of the Mughals. While many terms overlap between revenue and currency, each had a distinct technical definition.

Explanation A Dam was a copper coin introduced by Sher Shah Suri and standardized by Akbar. A Desai was a local revenue official/lord common in Western India. A Diwan was the provincial head of finance. However, Jarib was not a tax, but a traditional unit of land measurement (a chain or rope used for surveying).

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Sher Shah and Akbar used the 'Jarib' to measure land area before assessing taxes based on the yield.
Logic 2: The actual tax on the land was often called *Kharaj* or *Zabt*, whereas the Jarib was the tool used to determine the taxable area.

Active Recall

Question

What was the significance of the Dam in daily trade?

Answer

It was the most common currency for everyday transactions among the common people, whereas gold (Mohur) and silver (Rupiya) were used for higher transactions.

Core Insight

The 'Jarib' system allowed for the shift from vague estimates to accurate, area-based revenue assessment, which was the backbone of the Mughal treasury.