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UPSC CSE Prelims 1993

Chola Governance

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

A lot of details regarding the village administration under the Cholas is provided by the inscription at:

Solution & Analysis

Answer: D

Concept The Chola administration was unique for its highly organized local self-government system. Villages were managed by assemblies that had significant autonomy in local affairs.

Explanation The Uttaramerur inscription (dating to Parantaka Chola I) provides a detailed manual on how the village 'Sabha' was elected, the qualifications for candidates, and the system of 'Kudavolai' (pot-tickets).

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The inscription details the division of the village into 30 wards and the selection of committee members by lot.
Logic 2: It explicitly states disqualification criteria, such as failure to submit accounts or committing sins, ensuring a high ethical standard in local governance.

Active Recall

Question

What was the 'Kudavolai' system mentioned in the Uttaramerur inscription?

Answer

It was a primitive but effective democratic system where names of candidates were written on palm leaves and drawn from a pot by a small child.

Core Insight

The Uttaramerur inscription proves that grassroots democracy and accountability existed in India over a thousand years ago.

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