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General Studies 2023 GS Paper I 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Explain

GS Paper I — Q12

What were the major technological changes introduced during the Sultanate period? How did those technological changes influence…

What were the major technological changes introduced during the Sultanate period? How did those technological changes influence the Indian society? (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

सल्तनत काल के दौरान किये गये बड़े तकनीकी बदलाव क्या थे? उन तकनीकी बदलावों ने भारतीय समाज को कैसे प्रभावित किया था? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q12 of the 2023 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2023 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

The Sultanate period (1206–1526) introduced a set of military, agricultural, architectural and craft technologies that transformed medieval India. In warfare, the state employed siege engines, crossbows and, later, gunpowder artillery such as manjaniq and arrada, while the Persian wheel (saqiya) also spread as a hydraulic device. Gunpowder artillery changed siege warfare and strengthened state power. In agriculture, the saqiya made irrigation more reliable and reduced dependence on seasonal water, and new crops—spinach, watermelon, muskmelon and apricot—were cultivated, raising productivity and diversifying the diet. Architecture adopted the true arch, dome construction, lime mortar and vaulting, visible in the Qutub Minar and Alai Darwaza, creating a distinct Indo-Islamic style. In crafts, paper manufacture was introduced, sericulture expanded, and cotton ginning, though earlier known, was further developed, boosting textile output.

These changes reshaped society. More reliable irrigation and new crops increased agricultural surplus, supporting monetization of the economy and larger markets. Urban craft guilds, or kasbas, grew as demand for paper, textiles, metalwork and building materials rose; this created new occupational specialisation and strengthened towns. Paper also facilitated record-keeping and administration. The availability of paper and cloth also encouraged wider exchange through market towns, long-distance trade and rising urban demand. The iqta system tied land revenue to military service, encouraging state control over agriculture and settlement patterns. Architectural patronage and craft production also produced cultural synthesis, blending Persian, Central Asian and Indian forms. Thus, Sultanate technologies did not merely change production; they deepened urbanisation, market integration and a composite medieval culture.

What "Explain" is asking you to do

Make the working of something clear — what sets it off, what follows from what, and what it produces. Explain is the Commission's mechanism word: it dominates the technical papers and the “explain why” stems, where the marks sit in the causal chain and not in the label.

Structure that answers it

State what it is → the initiating condition → the chain of cause, step by step → an instance where it plays out → what the chain produces

Where marks are lost

Describing what something looks like instead of why it works that way. Naming the stages without linking them reads as description too.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS1 History: Technology & Society. explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close Full marks: Links specific tech (gunpowder, paper) to structural social changes (urbanization, class).

Key points expected

  • Identify gunpowder and artillery in warfare
  • Mention paper, printing, and coinage reforms
  • Link tech to urbanization and trade
  • Explain impact on social hierarchy

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Identify key technological shifts and analyze their socio-economic impact on Indian society. 15 marks · 250 words

    explain— definition/context → points in order → small example → short close

    Must cover

    • Identify gunpowder and artillery in warfare
    • Mention paper, printing, and coinage reforms
    • Link tech to urbanization and trade
    • Explain impact on social hierarchy

    Loses marks

    • Listing technologies without social impact
    • Confusing Sultanate tech with Mughal tech
    • Ignoring the economic dimension of change

    Earns more

    • Reference specific sultans (e.g., Iltutmish, Alauddin)
    • Mention architectural innovations (domes, arches)
    • Discuss the rise of a new mercantile class
    • Note the decline of traditional feudal structures

    Extra mark

    • Specific example of a battle (e.g., Tarain)
    • Reference to a specific coin (e.g., Tanka)

Practice this exact question

Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.

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