1998 General Studies, all questions
UPSC Prelims 1998 · General Studies
Question 80: History and Culture
Fawazil in the Sultanate period meant
aExtra payment made to the nobles
bRevenue assigned in lieu of salary
cExcess amount paid to the exchequer by the iqtadars
dIllegal exactions extracted from the peasants
AnswerThe answer is (c).
In the Sultanate period fawazil were the surplus that an iqta holder (iqtadar) collected beyond what he needed for his own salary and the upkeep of his contingent, and which he had to remit to the central treasury. It marked the iqta as a revenue assignment with accounting, not a private estate. The other options describe payments or exactions that are not what fawazil meant.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Fawazil were not extra payments to nobles.
- (b) Revenue assigned in lieu of salary was the iqta itself.
- (c) Right: the surplus the iqtadar paid to the exchequer.
- (d) Illegal exactions were not fawazil.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
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.