With reference to Mughal India, what is/are the difference/differences between Jagirdar and Zamindar?
- 1.Jagirdars were holders of land assignments in lieu of judicial and police duties, whereas Zamindars were holders of revenue rights without obligation to perform any duty other than revenue collection.
- 2.Land assignments to Jagirdars were hereditary and revenue rights of Zamindars were not hereditary.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2
A jagir was a revenue assignment given to a mansabdar in place of a cash salary for his military and administrative rank, and it was moved from place to place, so it was never hereditary. Zamindars, by contrast, held proprietary rights they could pass on, and they also rendered services and kept armed men. Both statements reverse the real position.
- ✗ 1. Jagirs were paid in lieu of salary for a mansab (a military-cum-civil rank), not specifically for judicial and police work. Zamindars were not mere revenue collectors either: they performed services (khidmat) for the state and maintained forts and armed contingents.
- ✗ 2. Jagirs were transferred periodically, so they could not be inherited. Zamindars could sell, bequeath or mortgage their milkiyat lands, so their rights passed down in families.
Remember · Mughal jagir = transferable revenue assignment in lieu of salary to a mansabdar (not hereditary). Zamindari = hereditary local proprietary right with service and military obligations.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part II, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part II, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part II, Chapter 4 “Some mansabdars were paid in cash (naqdi), while the majority of them were paid through assignments of revenue (jagirs) in different regions of the empire. They were transferred periodically.”
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part II, Chapter 4 “another factor was that they performed certain services (khidmat) for the state. The zamindars held extensive personal lands termed milkiyat, meaning property. Milkiyat lands were cultivated for the private use of zamindars, often with the help of hired or servile labour. The zamindars could sell, bequeath or mortgage these lands at will.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·