Q6
(a) The market regulations of Ala-ud-din Khilji were useful for the Sultan's military might but harmful for the economy of the Sultanate. Comment. (15 marks) (b) Examine the nature of the Mansabdari system during the reign of Akbar. (15 marks) (c) Chola maritime expansion was driven largely by concerns of overseas commerce. Elucidate. (20 marks)
हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें
(a) अलाउद्दीन खिलजी के बाजार नियंत्रण सुलतान की सैन्य शक्ति के लिए उपयोगी थे, परंतु सल्तनत की अर्थव्यवस्था के लिए हानिकारक। टिप्पणी कीजिए। (15 अंक) (b) अकबर के राज्यकाल में मनसबदारी व्यवस्था की प्रकृति का परीक्षण कीजिए। (15 अंक) (c) चोल शासकों का सामुद्रिक विस्तार प्रमुखतया उनके विदेशी वाणिज्यिक हितों से प्रेरित था। स्पष्ट कीजिए। (20 अंक)
Directive word: Elucidate
This question asks you to elucidate. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.
See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.
How this answer will be evaluated
Approach
The question demands critical examination across three distinct themes: for (a) 'comment' requires balanced assessment of Khilji's market regulations; for (b) 'examine' needs analysis of Mansabdari's structural nature; for (c) 'elucidate' calls for detailed explanation of Chola maritime motives. Allocate approximately 250-300 words (25-30%) to parts (a) and (b) each, and 350-400 words (40%) to part (c) given its higher weightage. Structure with a brief composite introduction, separate analytical sections for each sub-part with clear transitions, and a synthesizing conclusion that draws thematic parallels across medieval Indian statecraft and expansion.
Key points expected
- For (a): Analysis of price-fixing (shahi mandi), confiscation of excess grain, and control over grain, cloth, horses, and slaves to fund standing army; contrast with long-term economic stagnation, merchant discontent, and rural distress
- For (a): Reference to Barani's Tarikh-i-Firuzshahi on 'market control' and the distinction between military utility versus economic sustainability
- For (b): Explanation of Mansabdari as rank (mansab) determining salary (jagir), dual ranking (zat/sawar), and its incorporation of Rajputs, Turanis, Iranis, and Indian Muslims into imperial service
- For (b): Assessment of Mansabdari as bureaucratic-military tool reducing tribal/clan loyalties, with comparison to Iqtadari and later deterioration under Jahangir/Shah Jahan
- For (c): Detailed examination of Chola maritime expansion under Rajaraja I and Rajendra I: conquest of Srivijaya (Kadaram), naval expeditions to Bengal (Gangaikondacholapuram), and establishment of trade stations in Southeast Asia
- For (c): Analysis of Ayyavole merchant guilds (Ainurruvar), temple networks as commercial hubs, and the interplay between plunder, tribute, and structured trade in horses, spices, and textiles
- For (c): Engagement with K.A. Nilakanta Sastri's 'commercial empire' thesis versus alternative perspectives emphasizing political prestige and Chola symbolic sovereignty over the seas
Evaluation rubric
| Dimension | Weight | Max marks | Excellent | Average | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronology accuracy | 18% | 9 | Precise dating for all three parts: Khilji's regulations (1296-1316), especially 1304-05 market reforms; Akbar's Mansabdari evolution (1560s-1595, especially 1573-74 reforms); Chola expansion phases (Rajaraja I 985-1014, Rajendra I 1014-1044, naval campaigns 1025). Correct sequence of Srivijaya expeditions and Gangaikondacholapuram establishment. | Broadly correct century placement with minor errors (e.g., conflating early/late Khilji period, vague Akbar chronology, mixing Chola rulers); missing specific campaign dates. | Serious anachronisms (e.g., attributing Mansabdari to Sher Shah, placing Chola expansion in 9th century, confusing Khilji with Tughlaq); timeline undermines argument credibility. |
| Source & evidence | 22% | 11 | Direct citation of Barani for Khilji's market policies; Abu'l Fazl's Ain-i-Akbari and Akbarnama for Mansabdari ranks; Tamil inscriptions (Leyden grant, Thiruvalangadu plates), Arab traveler accounts (Masudi, Idrisi), and Chinese sources for Chola maritime activity; specific terminology (dagh, chehra, nagaram, ur). | General reference to 'contemporary sources' without naming; paraphrased content without specific evidence; some relevant terms used but imprecisely. | No primary source engagement; reliance on textbook generalizations; invented or anachronistic sources; confusion between Persian chronicles and archaeological evidence. |
| Multi-perspective analysis | 22% | 11 | For (a): balances military necessity (Mongol threat, standing army) against economic costs (peasant oppression, market distortion); for (b): analyzes Mansabdari as integration mechanism versus tool of exploitation; for (c): weighs commerce against political/religious motives (temple construction, Chola imperial ideology). | One-sided treatment of at least one part; acknowledges complexity but doesn't develop; descriptive rather than analytical approach to the 'why' questions. | Wholly one-dimensional answers (e.g., Khilji as purely tyrannical, Mansabdari as perfect system, Chola expansion only for trade); no recognition of historiographical debates or alternative motivations. |
| Historiographic framing | 20% | 10 | Explicit engagement with: K.A. Nilakanta Sastri vs. R. Champakalakshmi on Chola 'empire'; Irfan Habib vs. Satish Chandra on Khilji's economic impact; Athar Ali on Mansabdari's numerical evolution; distinction between 'centralization' thesis and 'patrimonial-bureaucratic' debate for Mughal state. | Implicit awareness of debates without naming scholars; some comparative framing but no explicit historiographical positioning; standard textbook interpretations presented as settled. | No historiographical awareness; presentist or nationalist framing; conflation of different scholarly positions; anachronistic application of modern economic/political theory without grounding. |
| Conclusion & synthesis | 18% | 9 | Synthesizes across parts to identify patterns in medieval Indian state formation: the tension between extractive capacity and legitimacy; the role of military-fiscal complexes; the interplay between commerce and territorial expansion. Reflects on why these systems succeeded or failed in the longue durée. | Separate conclusions for each part without cross-thematic integration; summary restatement of points; no broader reflection on significance. | Missing or extremely brief conclusion; new information introduced at end; contradictory final statements; no attempt to address the evaluative demands of the question. |
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