Q. With reference to Shivaji’s Provincial Administration, consider the following statements:
1.Shivaji often appointed the same individual to hold both the revenue (Mughal Diwan) and military (Subedar) charges for a province to ensure administrative efficiency.
2.The provincial heads of key areas were appointed by the King himself, and they were strictly prevented from making their posts hereditary.
3.Unlike the Mughals, Shivaji’s system deliberately did not rely on the powerful local Zamindars, instead collecting revenue through state-appointed officials like the Karkuns.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1: Incorrect. Shivaji avoided combining both military and revenue power in the hands of one provincial official, precisely to prevent the rise of powerful, semi-independent governors (like the Mughals suffered).
- Statement 2: Correct. Shivaji’s policy, unlike the later Peshwas, was to ensure that all posts were non-hereditary and tenure-bound to maintain central control.
- Statement 3: Correct. Shivaji systematically tried to bypass the traditional landed intermediaries (like Zamindars or Deshmukhs), preferring to deal directly with the village headmen and the peasantry through state officials (Karkuns) to maximize revenue and reduce local despotism.
