History • Ancient IndiaMedium
Consider the following statements regarding the Mauryan provincial administration and judicial machinery: 1. The vast empire was partitioned into major provinces governed by royal princes or members of the royal family known as Kumaras or Aryaputras. 2. At the village level, the administrative official responsible for land revenue collection, boundary maintenance, and population census was designated as the Rajuka. 3. Civil and criminal courts at district headquarters were classified into Dharmasthaniya courts for civil disputes and Kantashodhana courts for the suppression of crime and state security. Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only✓ Correct Answer
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
💡 Solution & Explanation
The Rajukas were high imperial officers whose primary duties involved surveying land, assessing revenue, and exercising judicial powers across rural districts rather than operating solely as village accountants. Provinces were indeed administered by Kumaras from imperial capitals like Taxila, Ujjain, and Suvarnagiri. The judicial setup distinguished between civil litigation handled by Dharmasthaniya judges and criminal-economic offenses investigated by Kantashodhana magistrates. Asoka later empowered Rajukas with independent judicial authority to dispense equitable justice across rural populations.
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