Administration, Economy and Society under Sultanate and Mughal Rule - Question Bank

1. The 'Dara-Shikoh' was known for his interest in:
A) Military conquest
B) Sufism and comparative religion
C) Economic reforms
D) Architectural projects
2. The social hierarchy in Mughal India was influenced by:
A) Strictly religious divisions
B) Varna system and occupational groups
C) Purely economic status
D) Absence of any social stratification
3. The 'Amin' in the Mughal revenue administration was responsible for:
A) Measuring land
B) Assessing revenue
C) Collecting revenue
D) Auditing accounts
4. Which of the following was NOT a major source of revenue for the Mughal Empire?
A) Land revenue
B) Customs duties
C) Jaziya (after its re-imposition)
D) Income tax
5. The 'Mir Bakshi' was responsible for:
A) Overseeing the imperial treasury
B) Military organization and recruitment
C) Administering justice
D) Managing the royal household
6. The 'Sadr-us-Sudur' in the Mughal Empire was the head of the department of:
A) Military affairs
B) Justice and religious endowments
C) Finance and revenue
D) Foreign affairs
7. The agrarian relations during the Mughal period were characterized by:
A) Land owned by the state and leased to peasants
B) Peasant proprietorship with intermediaries
C) Absolute landlordism
D) Communal land ownership
8. The 'Muhtasib' was an official responsible for:
A) Public morals and market regulation
B) Collection of land revenue
C) Expedition of justice
D) Military recruitment
9. The concept of 'Faujdar' in the Mughal administration was primarily related to:
A) Revenue assessment
B) Maintaining law and order and military command in a Sarkar
C) Supervising royal gardens
D) Overseeing judicial courts
10. The 'Karkhanas' under the Mughals were:
A) Royal treasuries
B) Imperial workshops and manufactories
C) Military garrisons
D) Religious schools
11. The economic prosperity of the Mughal Empire was significantly boosted by:
A) Heavy taxation on peasants
B) Extensive trade networks and agricultural surplus
C) Isolationist policies
D) Dependence on foreign aid
12. The 'Qanungo' in the Mughal administration was an expert in:
A) Military strategy
B) Revenue and land records
C) Judicial pronouncements
D) Diplomatic negotiations
13. The 'Shikdar' was an administrative official responsible for in the Mughal administration:
A) Revenue collection in a Pargana
B) Maintaining law and order in a Sarkar
C) Supervising military contingents
D) Administering justice in a Subah
14. The 'Ain-i-Akbari', a detailed account of Akbar's administration, was compiled by:
A) Amir Khusrau
B) Ziauddin Barani
C) Abul Fazl
D) Isami
15. The 'Sulh-i-Kul' policy of Akbar aimed at:
A) Establishing Islamic supremacy
B) Promoting religious tolerance and harmony
C) Forcing conversion to his new religion
D) Establishing a centralized religious authority
16. The social reforms introduced by Akbar included:
A) Imposition of Jaziya on non-Muslims
B) Prohibition of Sati and child marriage
C) Encouragement of religious conversion
D) Restriction on inter-caste marriages
17. The 'Dastaks' system under the Mughals referred to:
A) Royal decrees
B) Tax exemptions for merchants
C) Permits for trade and travel
D) Regulations for market control
18. The Mughal Empire witnessed significant growth in trade and commerce. Which of the following was a major export from Mughal India?
A) Horses
B) Manufactured goods (textiles, indigo)
C) Precious metals
D) Spices from Europe
19. Who was the chief revenue officer of a Mughal province (Subah)?
A) Diwan
B) Subedar
C) Bakhshi
D) Qazi
20. The 'Dahsala' or 'Ten-Year' system, a modification of the Zabt system, was introduced by:
A) Sher Shah Suri
B) Akbar
C) Jahangir
D) Shah Jahan
21. The 'Mahalwari' system of land revenue was prevalent in which part of Mughal India?
A) North-Western Provinces and Punjab
B) Bengal
C) Deccan
D) Gujarat
22. The 'Jagir' system under the Mughals was:
A) A system of land ownership by peasants
B) Assignment of land revenue to officials in lieu of salary
C) A tax on agricultural produce
D) A system of grants for religious purposes
23. In the Mansabdari system, the rank was indicated by 'Zat' and 'Sawar'. 'Zat' indicated:
A) The number of cavalry soldiers maintained
B) The number of infantry soldiers maintained
C) The personal rank and status of the official
D) The revenue assigned to the official
24. The 'Mansabdari' system introduced by Akbar was a system of:
A) Revenue collection
B) Military organization and civil administration
C) Judicial appointments
D) Religious endowments
25. The Mughal administrative division corresponding to a province was called:
A) Sarkar
B) Pargana
C) Subah
D) Shiq
26. The 'Zabt' system of revenue assessment under the Mughals involved:
A) A fixed share of the produce based on land measurement
B) Revenue farming to the highest bidder
C) A lump-sum payment by village heads
D) Collection of revenue in kind only
27. Who was the chief architect of Akbar's revenue system, known as the 'Zabt' system?
A) Faizi
B) Abul Fazl
C) Todar Mal
D) Birbal
28. The economic policy of the Mughal Empire under Akbar was largely influenced by the administrative practices of:
A) The Delhi Sultanate
B) The Vijayanagara Empire
C) The Ahom Kingdom
D) The Rajput states
29. The 'Sijdah' (prostration) and 'Paibos' (kissing the feet) customs were introduced by which Sultan to enhance royal prestige?
A) Iltutmish
B) Alauddin Khalji
C) Balban
D) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
30. The agrarian reforms of Firoz Shah Tughlaq included:
A) Abolition of all taxes
B) Introduction of a fixed land tax system
C) Construction of canals for irrigation and remission of some taxes
D) Confiscation of all peasant lands
31. The 'Amir Khusrau' was a prominent figure during the Delhi Sultanate, known for:
A) Military conquests
B) Sufi mysticism
C) Poetry, music, and scholarship
D) Architectural innovations
32. Who introduced the token currency system (copper and brass coins) in the Delhi Sultanate?
A) Alauddin Khalji
B) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
C) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
D) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
33. The social structure during the Delhi Sultanate was characterized by:
A) A rigid caste system similar to pre-Islamic India
B) A more fluid social hierarchy with religious and ethnic divisions
C) Complete social equality
D) Absence of any social stratification
34. The establishment of the 'Diwan-i-Mustakhraj' by Alauddin Khalji was primarily for:
A) Auditing revenue accounts and recovering arrears
B) Managing the royal household
C) Supervising the postal department
D) Regulating the markets
35. Who was known as the 'Slave Sultan' and laid the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate?
A) Iltutmish
B) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
C) Balban
D) Nasiruddin Mahmud
36. The administrative division below the province (Shiq) in the Delhi Sultanate was called:
A) Pargana
B) Iqta
C) Sarkar
D) Gram
37. The 'Sharia' law played a significant role in the administration of justice during the Delhi Sultanate. Who was the chief judicial officer?
A) Muhtasib
B) Qazi-ul-Quzzat
C) Amir-i-Dad
D) Naib-i-Wazir
38. The concept of 'Sultanate' as a political entity in India was introduced by:
A) The Ghaznavids
B) The Ghurids
C) The Timurids
D) The Lodi dynasty
39. Which Sultan reformed the currency system by introducing the Tanka (silver) and Jital (copper) coins?
A) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
B) Iltutmish
C) Balban
D) Alauddin Khalji
40. The 'Barid-i-Mamalik' in the Delhi Sultanate was responsible for:
A) Intelligence and postal services
B) Judicial administration
C) Military recruitment
D) Religious affairs
41. Who established the Diwan-i-Bandagan (Department of Slaves) in the Delhi Sultanate?
A) Alauddin Khalji
B) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
C) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
D) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
42. The market control regulations introduced by Alauddin Khalji were primarily aimed at:
A) Controlling inflation and ensuring supply of essential goods
B) Encouraging private trade and competition
C) Increasing the Sultan's personal wealth
D) Discouraging the use of currency
43. What was the primary economic activity during the Delhi Sultanate period?
A) Industrial manufacturing
B) Trade and agriculture
C) Mining and quarrying
D) Maritime trade
44. The land revenue system under Alauddin Khalji was characterized by:
A) Measurement of land and sharing of produce
B) Fixed cash payments from peasants
C) Abolition of revenue farming
D) Assignment of land to nobles without rights
45. Who introduced the Iqta system in the Delhi Sultanate for revenue collection and administrative purposes?
A) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
B) Iltutmish
C) Balban
D) Alauddin Khalji
46. The department responsible for the military administration of the Delhi Sultanate was known as:
A) Diwan-i-Insha
B) Diwan-i-Bandagan
C) Diwan-i-Arz
D) Diwan-i-Mustakhraj
47. What was the title given to the chief minister or prime minister during the Delhi Sultanate?
A) Wazir
B) Naib-i-Mamlikat
C) Diwan-i-Arz
D) Qazi
48. The administrative system of the Delhi Sultanate was largely influenced by which of the following empires?
A) Gupta Empire
B) Chola Empire
C) Abbasid Caliphate
D) Mauryan Empire
49. Who was the first Sultan of Delhi Sultanate?
A) Iltutmish
B) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
C) Raziya Sultan
D) Balban