Prelims 2000 · archive
MediumMatch List I with List II and select the correct answer
| List I | List II | |
|---|---|---|
| A. | Iqta | 1. Marathas | |
| B. | Jagir | 2. Delhi Sultans | |
| C. | Amaram | 3. Mughals | |
| D. | Mokasa | 4. Vijayanagara |
A B C D
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 2 3 4 1
Each term is a form of revenue assignment, and each belongs to one ruling power. Iqta goes with the Delhi Sultans and jagir with the Mughals. Amaram goes with Vijayanagara and mokasa with the Marathas. That gives A-2, B-3, C-4, D-1, which is option (b).
- ✓ A Under the Delhi Sultanate's iqta system, territories were assigned to nobles (iqtadars). They collected taxes there, and the balance after expenses was supposed to go to the Sultan's treasury. So A-2.
- ✓ B Most Mughal mansabdars were paid through assignments of revenue called jagirs, located in different regions of the empire. So B-3.
- ✓ C Amaram was the territory given to a military commander (amara-nayaka) under the Vijayanagara raya. In return the commander maintained troops for the king. The amara-nayaka system was a major political innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire, and many of its features were likely derived from the iqta system. So C-4.
- ✓ D Under the Marathas, mokasa was the major share of the chauth collections. It was assigned to Maratha sardars so they could maintain troops. So D-1.
- ✗ (a) It pairs iqta with the Mughals and jagir with the Delhi Sultans. It also pairs amaram with the Marathas and mokasa with Vijayanagara. All four pairs are wrong.
- ✗ (c) It gets A and B right but swaps C and D. It pairs amaram with the Marathas and mokasa with Vijayanagara.
- ✗ (d) It gets C and D right but swaps A and B. It pairs iqta with the Mughals and jagir with the Delhi Sultans.
Remember · Iqta: Delhi Sultanate. Jagir: Mughals. Amaram (amara-nayaka): Vijayanagara. Mokasa: Marathas, a share of chauth assigned to sardars for troops.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 8 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 2 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part II, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part II, Ch 3 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 8 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Chapter 2 “territories were assigned to nobles (iqtadars) to collect taxes which, minus expenses, were supposed to go to the Sultan's treasury”
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part II, Chapter 4 “the majority of them were paid through assignments of revenue (jagirs) in different regions of the empire.”
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part II, Chapter 3 “The amara-nayaka system was a major political innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is likely that many features of this system were derived from the iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2000, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
