History • Medieval IndiaHard
With reference to the fiscal administration of Sher Shah Suri, which of the following measures reformed the agrarian revenue structure?
A. Abolition of all cash-based revenue collection in favor of pure grain sharecropping across all provinces
B. Standardization of land measurement using the gaz-i-Sikandari, classification of cultivated land into good, middling, and bad soils, and fixing state demand at one-third of average produce✓ Correct Answer
C. Delegation of complete tax-fixing authority to hereditary village headmen without any government land surveys
D. Introduction of a uniform poll tax on all agricultural laborers while completely exempting landholders
💡 Solution & Explanation
Sher Shah Suri revolutionized agrarian administration by instituting systematic land surveys, categorizing soil fertility, and establishing fixed state revenue rates based on average crop yields, which later served as the foundation for Todar Mal's zabti system under Akbar. Grain sharecropping remained optional rather than mandatory, and tax collection was supervised by state-appointed amils rather than left entirely to independent headmen. His introduction of the silver rupee coin further streamlined commercial transactions across his empire.
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