2019 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2019 · GS Paper I

Question 12: History and Culture

Consider the following statements :

  1. 1.In the revenue administration of Delhi Sultanate, the in-charge of revenue collection was known as ‘Amil’.
  2. 2.The Iqta system of Sultans of Delhi was an ancient indigenous institution.
  3. 3.The office of ‘Mir Bakshi’ came into existence during the reign of Khalji Sultans of Delhi.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 only
b1 and 2 only
c3 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

Only statement 1 is correct. In the Delhi Sultanate, the amil was the revenue collector of a locality. The iqta, assignment of revenue-yielding land to officers in place of salary, was not an old indigenous institution; it came from West Asian practice and was developed in India under the Delhi Sultans, notably Iltutmish. Mir Bakshi is a Mughal office, head of the military department, so it did not arise under the Khaljis. Remember: amil is Sultanate, Mir Bakshi is Mughal.

  • 1. The amil collected revenue under the Sultanate.
  • 2. The iqta system was borrowed from West Asian practice, not ancient and indigenous.
  • 3. Mir Bakshi was a Mughal office.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (c) goes: it leaves 1 out.

    What you needed to know: The amil collected revenue under the Sultanate.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) and (d) go: each of them includes 2.

    What you needed to know: The iqta system was borrowed from West Asian practice, not ancient and indigenous.

Only (a) is left. You didn’t need statement 3.

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) Correct: only the statement on the amil holds.
  • (b) Wrong: the iqta was not an ancient indigenous institution.
  • (c) Wrong: Mir Bakshi is a Mughal office, not a Khalji one.
  • (d) Wrong: statements 2 and 3 are both false.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2019, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.