Prelims 1997 · archive
EasyHead of the military department under the recognised central machinery of administration during Akbar’s reign was:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) Mir Bakshi
Under Akbar's central administration the Mir Bakhshi headed the military department. The Diwan handled finance and the Mir Saman (Khan-i-Saman) the royal household and workshops.
- ✓ (b) The Mir Bakhshi looked after military matters, including mansabdar appointments and the army rolls.
- ✗ (a) The Diwan was in charge of finance.
- ✗ (c) The Mir Saman ran the imperial household and karkhanas.
Remember · Akbar: Diwan = finance; Mir Bakhshi = military; Khan-i-Saman = household and public works.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 8 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 2 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 8 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Chapter 2 “The Diwan took care of the finances, while the Mir Bakhshi looked after military matters and the Khan-i-Saman was in charge of public works”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 1997, General Studies paper. UPSC did not publish an answer key for 1997: the answer shown is the one the sources above support. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 24 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·