Analyze the features of the Mauryan provincial administration: 1. The vast empire was divided into several administrative provinces, such as Uttarapatha, Avantistha, and Kalinga, each governed by a royal prince or kumara. 2. The central administration maintained a network of high-ranking officials known as mahamatras who supervised revenue collection, justice, and diplomatic missions across the provinces. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Both statements are correct as the Mauryan imperial structure was decentralized at the provincial level through princes of royal blood who acted as viceroys over territorial units like Taxila, Ujjain, and Tosali. The central government dispatched royal inspectors and high supervisory officials including the Dhamma-mahamatras to maintain administrative uniformity and moral governance. These administrative divisions allowed efficient centralization of military power under the sovereign at Pataliputra. Provincial governors exercised substantial executive authority while remaining accountable to the monarch.