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Mughal Agrarian Administration

Understanding Zabt and Kankut Revenue Systems

The Zabt system was Akbar's standard measurement-based revenue method used across North India. By the 17th century, however, it began to lose ground to the Kankut system, which relied on estimating the yield of standing crops.

Primary Reference: NCERT Class XII: Themes in Indian History - Part II

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Consider the following statements:
1. Under Akbar, the system of Zabt was established over a large area from Punjab to Awadh.
2. In the seventeenth century North India, the system of Zabt lost much ground to the system of Kankut.

[CAPF 2021]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept


The Mughal revenue system was dynamic, changing based on state capacity and local needs. While measurement-based systems provided accuracy, they were administratively expensive and sometimes gave way to simpler estimation methods.

Authentic Source Evidence

Statement 1 is correct: The Zabt system (based on area measurement and 10-year average yields) was standardized under Akbar and spread across the fertile North Indian plains from Punjab to Awadh.
Statement 2 is correct: By the 17th century, the complexity of maintaining Zabt records led to its decline in some regions, where it was replaced by Kankut (estimating the total yield through inspection of the standing crop).

Analytical Breakdown


  • Logic 1: Zabt required a massive bureaucracy for constant surveying; Kankut was a more practical 'middle-path' estimation when central oversight weakened.

  • Logic 2: The shift represents the practical administrative challenges the later Mughals faced in maintaining the high-accuracy standards set by Akbar and Todar Mal.

    • Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

    "What was the main difference between Zabt and Kankut?"

    Zabt was based on precise physical measurement of the land, while Kankut was based on a visual estimation of the expected grain yield.

    Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

    "The rise of Kankut over Zabt signals the beginning of administrative decentralization where the state began relying more on rough estimates than scientific data."

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