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Home › Exam notes › UPSC Civil Services › Mughal India

Mughal India

History

Useful for: UPSC Civil Services, OSSC RHT — Regular High School Teacher, OSEPA Upper Primary — Arts, OSSC History, OSSSC Govt TGT Arts, SSB Lecturer (Degree Colleges), SSB TGT Arts

Overview

The Mughal Empire built a centralised administration through the mansabdari system and revenue reforms, with religious policy varying across rulers.

Key points

  • Babur won the First Battle of Panipat (1526).
  • Sher Shah defeated Humayun at Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (1540); he issued the silver rupiya and improved roads and administration.
  • Akbar introduced the mansabdari system and the zabti/dahsala revenue system (with Todar Mal).
  • Akbar abolished the jizya (1564), built the Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri (1575) and promoted Din-i-Ilahi (1582).
  • Abul Fazl wrote the Ain-i-Akbari and Akbarnama.
  • Aurangzeb reimposed the jizya in 1679.

Explanation

  • Mansabdars held ranks (zat and sawar) and jagirs instead of salaries.
  • Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal and the Peacock Throne.
  • Jahangir is associated with the "chain of justice".
  • Battle of Samugarh (1658) decided the succession war.
  • Decline: succession wars, jagirdari crisis, regional powers, invasions.

Step by step

  1. Identify the concept, law or fact asked.
  2. Recall the definition, formula, example or year.
  3. Apply it and eliminate mismatched options.

Examples

  • Statement: "The silver rupiya was introduced by Sher Shah." → Correct.
  • Statement: "Aurangzeb abolished the jizya." → Incorrect (Akbar abolished it; Aurangzeb reimposed it).
  • Statement: "Todar Mal is associated with revenue reforms." → Correct.

Traps and advanced points

  • Trap: Crediting the rupiya to Akbar.
  • Trap: Reversing jizya policies.
  • Trap: Mixing Ain-i-Akbari authorship.

Quick revision

  • Panipat 1526.
  • Sher Shah: rupiya.
  • Jizya: abolished 1564, reimposed 1679.

Practice MCQs

  1. From the perspective of definition and scope, which one of the following statements about Mughal State is correct?

    1. Mughal State is unrelated to institutions, processes or real-world applications.
    2. Mughal State has no exceptions or limitations in exam analysis.
    3. The mansabdari-jagirdari framework linked rank, military obligation and revenue assignments.
    4. Mansabdars permanently owned their jagirs as hereditary private property.

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    Answer: (c) The mansabdari-jagirdari framework linked rank, military obligation and revenue assignments.. The mansabdari-jagirdari framework linked rank, military obligation and revenue assignments.

  2. Consider the following statements on Mughal State, focusing on definition and scope: 1. The mansabdari-jagirdari framework linked rank, military obligation and revenue assignments. 2. Akbar’s reign is associated with major administrative consolidation and experiments in imperial ideology. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

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    Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. Both statements are correct.

  3. With reference to Mughal State (definition and scope), consider the following statements: 1. Akbar introduced the Mansabdari system and Din-i-Ilahi; Todar Mal handled revenue reforms. 2. Mansabdars permanently owned their jagirs as hereditary private property. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

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    Answer: (a) 1 only. Only statement 1 is correct.

  4. From the perspective of practical application, which one of the following statements about Mughal State is correct?

    1. Harappan urbanism featured planned streets, drainage and standardized material culture in many major sites.
    2. Agrarian revenue remained central to state finance, while regional variation persisted.
    3. Buddhist architecture includes stupas, chaityas and viharas with important regional variations.
    4. Many poet-saints emphasized personal devotion and critiqued social or ritual exclusivity in different ways.

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    Answer: (b) Agrarian revenue remained central to state finance, while regional variation persisted.. Agrarian revenue remained central to state finance, while regional variation persisted.

  5. Consider the following statements on Mughal State and Bhakti & Sufi Traditions, focusing on practical application: 1. Mansabdars permanently owned their jagirs as hereditary private property. 2. All Bhakti and Sufi traditions rejected every ritual, institution and social hierarchy in exactly the same manner. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

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    Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2. Neither statement is correct; both are common misconceptions.

  6. With reference to Mughal State (working mechanism), consider the following statements: 1. Mansabdars permanently owned their jagirs as hereditary private property. 2. Mughal administration combined imperial institutions with negotiated relationships with regional elites. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

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    Answer: (b) 2 only. Only statement 2 is correct.

  7. Consider the following statements on Mughal State, focusing on institutional design: 1. Mughal administration combined imperial institutions with negotiated relationships with regional elites. 2. The mansabdari-jagirdari framework linked rank, military obligation and revenue assignments. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

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    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. Both statements are correct.

  8. With reference to Mughal State (definition and scope), consider the following statements: 1. Agrarian revenue remained central to state finance, while regional variation persisted. 2. The mansabdari-jagirdari framework linked rank, military obligation and revenue assignments. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. Both statements are correct, so the answer is (C) Both 1 and 2. Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct.

  9. Consider the following statements on Mughal State, focusing on working mechanism: 1. Akbar’s reign is associated with major administrative consolidation and experiments in imperial ideology. 2. Agrarian revenue remained central to state finance, while regional variation persisted. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. All the given statements are correct, so the answer is (C) Both 1 and 2. Both statements are correct.

  10. With reference to Mughal State (practical application), consider the following statements: 1. Mansabdars permanently owned their jagirs as hereditary private property. 2. Akbar’s reign is associated with major administrative consolidation and experiments in imperial ideology. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (b) 2 only. Only statement 2 is correct, so the answer is (B) 2 only. Statement 1 is incorrect — it is an overstated or wrong claim. Statement 2 is correct.

More topics in this chapter

Notes and questions are written by Kundali IQ for practice. They are not official papers; always check the latest official notification for the syllabus and pattern.