UPSC Prelims 1998 · General Studies

Question 27: History and Culture

Assertion (A): At first the Turkish administration in India was essentially military. Reason (R): The country was parcelled out as ‘Iqta’s among leading military leaders.

aBoth A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

bBoth A and R are true, but R is NOT a correct explanation of A

cA is true, but R is false

dA is false, but R is true

AnswerThe answer is (a).

In the early Delhi Sultanate the Turkish conquerors held the country by force, and the administration was essentially military. The sultan parcelled out territories as iqtas among leading military commanders (muqtis), who collected the revenue and maintained troops, so the iqta system was the means by which that military rule worked. Both statements are true, and R explains A. Remember: the iqta was a revenue assignment in lieu of salary, institutionalised by Iltutmish.

A. The early Turkish administration rested on military commanders and force.
R. Territories were assigned as iqtas to leading military leaders, who ran them.

How you could have got this

If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (d) goes. Then judge the second statement; if it is correct too, decide whether it explains the first.

This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Right: iqtas were how the military administration functioned.
(b) R does explain A, so 'not a correct explanation' is wrong.
(c) R is true, so this fails.
(d) A is true, so this fails.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1998, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.