CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Zamindars and Revenue System
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QUESTION 1 OF 20
Consider the following statements about Zamindars as landed elites:
I. They formed the very broad base of the agrarian social pyramid.
II. They did not directly participate in the processes of agricultural production.
Which is correct?
QUESTION 2 OF 20
Assertion (A): The dispossession of weaker people by a powerful military chieftain was a way of expanding a zamindari.
Reason (R): The state would always allow such aggression unconditionally without any imperial order.
QUESTION 3 OF 20
Which of the following is NOT true about milkiyat lands?
QUESTION 4 OF 20
Arrange the phases of women's involvement in ownership transfer as per the historical developments discussed in the text:
1. Inheritance of zamindaris by Hindu and Muslim women
2. Active participation of widows in the rural land market as sellers in Punjab
3. A woman taking helm of the Rajshahi zamindari in the 18th century
QUESTION 5 OF 20
The state required an administrative apparatus to ensure revenue collection, which included the office of the ________, responsible for supervising the fiscal system.
QUESTION 6 OF 20
Match the following revenue officials with their respective roles:
| List 1 | List 2 |
|---|---|
| 1. Diwan | a. Revenue collector |
| 2. Amil-guzar | b. Ensuring imperial regulations are carried out |
| 3. Amin | c. Supervising the fiscal system of the empire |
| 4. Muqaddam | d. Village headman assisting in accounts |
QUESTION 7 OF 20
Zamindars built qilachas (fortresses) primarily to:
QUESTION 8 OF 20
What indicates that the Zamindars had a "parallel army" in Mughal India?
QUESTION 9 OF 20
Which groups adopted strategies of colonisation and land acquisition to consolidate their control over vast swathes of northern India?
QUESTION 10 OF 20
The buying and selling of zamindaris during the colonisation of new lands accelerated which economic process in the countryside?
QUESTION 11 OF 20
Consider the following statements:
I. The bhakti saints heavily condemned zamindars as the primary oppressors of the peasants.
II. Zamindars often received support from peasants in 17th-century agrarian uprisings.
Which statement is correct?
QUESTION 12 OF 20
How did Zamindars exhibit paternalism and patronage towards cultivators?
QUESTION 13 OF 20
Aurangzeb instructed his revenue officials in 1665 to prepare annual records of the number of ________ in each village to properly assess the jama.
QUESTION 14 OF 20
Assertion (A): While fixing revenue, the state's attempt was to maximise its claims.
Reason (R): The actual collection (hasil) always matched or exceeded the assessed amount (jama) without any hindrance.
QUESTION 15 OF 20
According to Akbar's classification, how was the revenue for Polaj and Parauti lands determined?
QUESTION 16 OF 20
Arrange the following land classifications in chronological order from the shortest to longest fallow period:
1. Parauti
2. Banjar
3. Chachar
QUESTION 17 OF 20
Identify the incorrect statement regarding the Batai system of revenue collection:
QUESTION 18 OF 20
In the Kankut method, if any doubts arose regarding the estimates, what was the prescribed solution?
QUESTION 19 OF 20
QUESTION 20 OF 20
Test Complete!
Answer Review
1 Consider the following statements about Zamindars as landed elites:
I. They formed the very broad base of the agrarian social pyramid.
II. They did not directly participate in the processes of agricultural production.
Which is correct?
�� Zamindars were landed elites, not the broad agrarian base. �� Peasants formed the broad base of rural society. �� Zamindars generally did not cultivate land themselves.
Statement I is incorrect because the broad base of the agrarian pyramid consisted of peasants and cultivators, not zamindars. Statement II is correct because NCERT describes zamindars as people who lived off agriculture without directly participating in agricultural production. Cultivation was carried out by peasants, tenants, and labourers. Therefore, Option C is correct.
- �� Option A → Statement I is incorrect.
- �� Option B → Statement I is false.
- �� Option D → Statement II is correct.
Used: Elimination
Application: Evaluate each statement separately.
Final Logic: Only Statement II matches NCERT.
Peasant Produces, Zamindar Possesses
2 Assertion (A): The dispossession of weaker people by a powerful military chieftain was a way of expanding a zamindari.
Reason (R): The state would always allow such aggression unconditionally without any imperial order.
�� Zamindaris often expanded through military strength. �� Imperial recognition remained important. �� Aggression was not automatically accepted.
NCERT notes that powerful military chiefs sometimes expanded zamindaris by dispossessing weaker groups. However, such authority generally required confirmation through imperial orders (sanads). Therefore, the assertion is true, while the reason is false. Hence, Option A is correct.
- �� Option B → The reason is false.
- �� Option C → The assertion is true.
- �� Option D → Assertion is not false.
Used: Elimination
Application: Test assertion and reason independently.
Final Logic: Expansion occurred, but not through unrestricted aggression.
Power First, Sanad Later
3 Which of the following is NOT true about milkiyat lands?
�� Milkiyat was private property. �� It could be sold, mortgaged, or inherited. �� Zamindars benefited directly from its produce.
Milkiyat lands were the personal property of zamindars. They could legally sell, mortgage, or bequeath these lands. Produce from such lands was often marketed by zamindars. Therefore, the statement claiming they could only be inherited is incorrect. Hence, Option B is correct.
- �� Option A → Correct description of milkiyat.
- �� Option C → Historically accurate.
- �� Option D → Produce was commonly marketed.
Used: Odd One Out
Application: Identify the statement contradicting the definition of milkiyat.
Final Logic: Transfer rights existed over milkiyat lands.
Milkiyat = Sell, Mortgage, Inherit
4 Arrange the phases of women's involvement in ownership transfer as per the historical developments discussed in the text:
1. Inheritance of zamindaris by Hindu and Muslim women
2. Active participation of widows in the rural land market as sellers in Punjab
3. A woman taking helm of the Rajshahi zamindari in the 18th century
�� Women inherited zamindaris. �� Widows participated in land transactions. �� Some women later headed major zamindaris.
The historical progression begins with women's inheritance rights, followed by their active participation in rural land markets, and culminates in examples such as women managing large zamindaris like Rajshahi in the eighteenth century. Thus, the correct sequence is 1 → 2 → 3.
- �� Option A → Reverses chronology.
- �� Option B → Places market participation before inheritance.
- �� Option C → Rajshahi example came later.
Used: Option Grouping
Application: Arrange developments chronologically.
Final Logic: Inherit → Trade → Govern.
Inheritance → Market → Leadership
5 The state required an administrative apparatus to ensure revenue collection, which included the office of the ________, responsible for supervising the fiscal system.
�� Diwan supervised fiscal administration. �� Revenue management was his primary responsibility. �� He occupied a high administrative office.
The Diwan was the chief revenue and finance officer responsible for supervising the fiscal system of the empire. He oversaw revenue administration and ensured efficient functioning of the revenue machinery. Therefore, Option D is correct.
- �� Option A → Muqaddam was a village headman.
- �� Option B → Patwari maintained village records.
- �� Option C → Amil-guzar collected revenue.
Used: Substitution
Application: Recall the function of each official.
Final Logic: Fiscal Supervision = Diwan.
Diwan = Finance Boss
6 Match the following revenue officials with their respective roles:
| List 1 | List 2 |
|---|---|
| 1. Diwan | a. Revenue collector |
| 2. Amil-guzar | b. Ensuring imperial regulations are carried out |
| 3. Amin | c. Supervising the fiscal system of the empire |
| 4. Muqaddam | d. Village headman assisting in accounts |
�� Diwan supervised finance. �� Amil-guzar collected revenue. �� Amin enforced regulations.
Correct matching: Diwan → Supervising fiscal system (c) Amil-guzar → Revenue collector (a) Amin → Ensuring regulations are implemented (b) Muqaddam → Village headman (d) Hence, Option B is correct.
- �� Option A → Diwan and Amil-guzar are interchanged.
- �� Option C → Incorrect assignment of Diwan.
- �� Option D → Multiple mismatches.
Used: Option Grouping
Application: Match officials with administrative functions.
Final Logic: Diwan-Finance, Amil-Revenue, Amin-Regulation, Muqaddam-Village.
D-A-A-M = Finance-Collect-Regulate-Village
7 Zamindars built qilachas (fortresses) primarily to:
�� Forts symbolized authority. �� They strengthened local military control. �� They protected zamindari territories.
Qilachas were fortresses constructed by zamindars as symbols of power and centers of military strength. They helped protect territories and reinforce local authority. Therefore, Option A is correct.
- �� Option B → Not their primary purpose.
- �� Option C → Forts were not revenue warehouses.
- �� Option D → They belonged to zamindars, not the imperial army.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application: Connect fortifications with military authority.
Final Logic: Fort = Military Power.
Qilacha = Zamindar Strength
8 What indicates that the Zamindars had a "parallel army" in Mughal India?
�� Zamindars possessed significant military resources. �� Ain-i Akbari records enormous troop numbers. �� Their power rivaled formal state structures locally.
The Ain-i Akbari records the combined military strength of zamindars as more than 4 million infantry and over 384,000 cavalry. These figures demonstrate the immense military resources available to zamindars and justify the description of a "parallel army." Therefore, Option C is correct.
- �� Option A → Imperial artillery remained under state control.
- �� Option B → No such NCERT evidence exists.
- �� Option D → No compulsory five-year service is mentioned.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application: Identify evidence supporting military strength.
Final Logic: Huge troop numbers indicate parallel military power.
4 Million Infantry = Parallel Army
9 Which groups adopted strategies of colonisation and land acquisition to consolidate their control over vast swathes of northern India?
�� Rajputs and Jats expanded territorial control. �� Colonisation strengthened political authority. �� Land acquisition increased rural influence.
NCERT highlights the role of Rajputs and Jats in expanding cultivation and consolidating territorial control through colonisation and land acquisition. These processes enhanced their political and economic power. Therefore, Option B is correct.
- �� Option A → Not highlighted for large-scale northern expansion.
- �� Option C → Associated with tribal and trading communities.
- �� Option D → Not relevant to this context.
Used: Elimination
Application: Identify groups associated with territorial consolidation.
Final Logic: Rajputs and Jats expanded through colonisation.
Rajput + Jat = Land Expansion
10 The buying and selling of zamindaris during the colonisation of new lands accelerated which economic process in the countryside?
�� Land transactions required monetary exchange. �� Rural markets became more active. �� Cash circulation increased.
Frequent buying, selling, and mortgaging of zamindaris encouraged the use of money in rural economic transactions. This contributed to increasing monetisation of the countryside, a major feature of the Mughal economy. Therefore, Option D is correct.
- �� Option A → Monetisation increased, but barter was not simply abolished.
- �� Option B → Unrelated to land transactions.
- �� Option C → Monetisation does not imply complete cash-crop dominance.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application: Connect land transactions with economic consequences.
Final Logic: More land sales = More money circulation.
Land Sale → Money Flow
11 Consider the following statements:
I. The bhakti saints heavily condemned zamindars as the primary oppressors of the peasants.
II. Zamindars often received support from peasants in 17th-century agrarian uprisings.
Which statement is correct?
�� NCERT does not describe Bhakti saints as condemning zamindars as primary oppressors. �� Zamindars often maintained reciprocal ties with peasants. �� Peasants frequently supported local zamindars during uprisings.
Statement I is incorrect because NCERT does not present Bhakti saints as consistently portraying zamindars as the chief oppressors of peasants. Statement II is correct because many agrarian uprisings of the seventeenth century received support from local zamindars due to shared regional interests and conflicts with state authorities. The relationship between peasants and zamindars often involved patronage and reciprocity. Therefore, Option C is correct.
- �� Option A → Statement I is not supported by NCERT.
- �� Option B → Statement I is incorrect.
- �� Option D → Statement II is historically correct.
Used: Elimination
Application: Verify each statement independently using NCERT evidence.
Final Logic: Only Statement II is supported by the text.
Peasants Often Backed Local Zamindars
12 How did Zamindars exhibit paternalism and patronage towards cultivators?
�� Zamindars promoted agricultural expansion. �� They provided financial assistance. �� Cultivators received support for settlement and cultivation.
NCERT explains that zamindars often acted as patrons by helping cultivators settle on new lands and providing them with resources such as cash loans and agricultural assistance. This paternalistic relationship strengthened their influence in rural society and encouraged agricultural expansion. Therefore, Option A is correct.
- �� Option B → Not a feature of patronage.
- �� Option C → No evidence of compulsory cultivation of only cash crops.
- �� Option D → Milkiyat belonged to zamindars, not cultivators.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application: Identify actions reflecting patronage and support.
Final Logic: Loans and settlement assistance represent paternalism.
Patron Zamindar = Loans + Land
13 Aurangzeb instructed his revenue officials in 1665 to prepare annual records of the number of ________ in each village to properly assess the jama.
�� Accurate assessment required detailed records. �� Cultivator numbers reflected agricultural capacity. �� Revenue demand depended on productive manpower.
Aurangzeb directed officials to maintain annual records of cultivators in each village. These records helped estimate agricultural productivity and determine the appropriate jama (assessed revenue demand). The state relied on such information for effective fiscal administration. Therefore, Option C is correct.
- �� Option A → Mansabdars were military-bureaucratic officials.
- �� Option B → Zamindar numbers were not the basis of jama assessment.
- �� Option D → Artisans were not the primary unit for land revenue calculation.
Used: Substitution
Application: Connect revenue assessment with agricultural production.
Final Logic: More cultivators = Better revenue assessment.
Jama Depends on Cultivators
14 Assertion (A): While fixing revenue, the state's attempt was to maximise its claims.
Reason (R): The actual collection (hasil) always matched or exceeded the assessed amount (jama) without any hindrance.
�� The state aimed to maximize revenue. �� Jama and hasil often differed. �� Collection faced practical difficulties.
The assertion is true because Mughal revenue administration sought to maximize state income. However, the reason is false because actual collections (hasil) frequently fell below assessed revenue (jama) due to crop failures, local resistance, administrative inefficiency, and other obstacles. Therefore, hasil did not always equal or exceed jama. Hence, Option D is correct.
- �� Option A → Reason is false.
- �� Option B → Reason remains incorrect.
- �� Option C → Assertion is historically correct.
Used: Elimination
Application: Check the truth of both statements separately.
Final Logic: Revenue maximization was real; perfect collection was not.
Jama ≠ Always Hasil
15 According to Akbar's classification, how was the revenue for Polaj and Parauti lands determined?
�� Land quality was carefully assessed. �� Average productivity was calculated. �� One-third formed the state's share.
Under Akbar's revenue system, lands were classified according to productivity. For Polaj and Parauti lands, the produce of good, middling, and poor quality lands was averaged. One-third of this average produce was fixed as the state's demand. This method aimed to create a fair assessment. Therefore, Option B is correct.
- �� Option A → Assessment was not based only on poor land.
- �� Option C → Yield estimates influenced assessment.
- �� Option D → The state never claimed the entire produce.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application: Recall Akbar's revenue assessment formula.
Final Logic: Average Produce → One-Third Revenue.
Good + Medium + Bad ÷ 3
16 Arrange the following land classifications in chronological order from the shortest to longest fallow period:
1. Parauti
2. Banjar
3. Chachar
�� Parauti had the shortest fallow period. �� Chachar remained uncultivated longer. �� Banjar had the longest period of abandonment.
According to Akbar's classification: Parauti = left fallow temporarily. Chachar = uncultivated for three to four years. Banjar = uncultivated for five years or more. Thus, from shortest to longest fallow period, the sequence is Parauti → Chachar → Banjar. Therefore, Option A is correct.
- �� Option B → Chachar cannot precede Parauti.
- �� Option C → Banjar has the longest fallow period.
- �� Option D → Completely reverses the sequence.
Used: Option Grouping
Application: Arrange land categories chronologically.
Final Logic: Parauti < Chachar < Banjar.
P-C-B = Increasing Fallow
17 Identify the incorrect statement regarding the Batai system of revenue collection:
�� Batai involved crop sharing. �� Inspectors were required. �� Monitoring reduced fraud and disputes.
NCERT notes that the Batai (or Bhaoli) system required supervision because crop division could be manipulated. Officials and inspectors were needed to ensure accurate sharing and prevent deception. Therefore, the claim that inspectors were unnecessary is incorrect. Hence, Option B is correct.
- �� Option A → Batai was also known as Bhaoli.
- �� Option C → Correct description of the procedure.
- �� Option D → Inspectors were indeed necessary.
Used: Extreme Word Filter
Application: Watch for absolute claims such as "did not require any inspectors."
Final Logic: Revenue systems always required supervision.
Batai Needs Inspectors
18 In the Kankut method, if any doubts arose regarding the estimates, what was the prescribed solution?
�� Kankut relied on estimation. �� Doubts required sample verification. �� Different quality categories were assessed.
When disputes arose under the Kankut system, officials could verify estimates by cutting sample plots and categorizing produce into good, middling, and inferior quality. This improved the accuracy of assessment and reduced disagreements. Therefore, Option A is correct.
- �� Option B → Confiscation was not prescribed.
- �� Option C → Assessment was not postponed automatically.
- �� Option D → No such punitive rule existed.
Used: Substitution
Application: Recall the verification procedure within Kankut.
Final Logic: Doubt → Sample Cutting → Estimation.
Kankut = Cut and Count
19
�� America, Turkey, and Japan are mentioned. �� Australia does not appear in the passage. �� The question is directly passage-based.
The passage explicitly mentions America, Turkey, Persia, Europe, and Japan as part of the flow of precious metals toward India. Australia is not mentioned anywhere in the account. Therefore, Option D is correct.
- �� Option A → Explicitly mentioned.
- �� Option B → Explicitly mentioned.
- �� Option C → Explicitly mentioned.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application: Compare options directly with the passage.
Final Logic: Australia alone is absent.
America–Turkey–Japan Yes; Australia No
20
�� Precious metals increased currency circulation. �� Trade expanded significantly. �� The economy became highly monetised.
The inflow of silver and gold bullion supported large-scale minting of coins and expansion of cash transactions. NCERT uses this evidence to show that the Mughal economy experienced substantial monetisation, with increasing use of money in trade, taxation, and market exchanges. Therefore, Option C is correct.
- �� Option A → Demand for Indian goods was actually rising.
- �� Option B → India was a major exporter, not dependent on imports.
- �� Option D → The passage discusses trade flows, not regulatory failure.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application: Link bullion inflow with its economic impact.
Final Logic: More Bullion → More Coins → More Cash Economy.
Silver Inflow = Monetisation Growth
