Relevant Titles
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Role of Zamindars in Mughal Administration — CBSE Class 12 MCQs
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Zamindars, Revenue and Power: 60-Minute CBSE Class 12 Quiz
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Mughal Zamindars — Key MCQs for CBSE Class 12 Exam Prep
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Zamindari Intermediaries under the Mughals — NCERT-Aligned Practice Test
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CBSE Class 12 History: Zamindars, Raiyats and Imperial Control — Timed Quiz
Introduction
Boost your CBSE Class 12 History preparation with this focused MCQ set on the “Role of Zamindars in Mughal Administration.” Strictly aligned to the NCERT syllabus, this 60-question, 60-minute timed quiz explores how zamindars functioned as local intermediaries—collecting revenue, maintaining order, adjudicating disputes, mobilising armed retainers and patronising temples and local culture. The pack examines regional variations in zamindari status (hereditary landlords, revenue agents, or village headmen), their relationship with the Mughal state, and the socioeconomic consequences for raiyats, including indebtedness, land alienation and occasional resistance. Each MCQ tests factual recall and analytical understanding; instant scoring and concise per-question feedback highlight NCERT-relevant themes and suggest targeted revision points. Use this timed test to sharpen exam speed, reinforce key concepts such as jagir, inam and mansabdari links, and convert mistakes into actionable study items. Ideal for self-study, classroom assignments, and last-minute board preparation. The explanations are succinct and NCERT-focused, making it easy to revise quickly and retain essential points for board exams.
Sample MCQs (with answers + brief explanations)
1. Q: What did the term zamindar commonly denote in Mughal administration?
A. Merchant
B. Village peasant
C. Local intermediary landlord/collector ✅
D. Religious priest
Explanation: Zamindars were intermediaries who collected revenue from cultivators and remitted dues to the state; their status varied regionally (hereditary landlords in some areas, appointed collectors in others).
2. Q: Which of the following was a common function performed by powerful zamindars?
A. Leading naval expeditions
B. Maintaining local armed retainers and providing security ✅
C. Minting coins for the empire
D. Translating state documents
Explanation: Because they controlled revenue and local manpower, many zamindars maintained retainers for defense, coercion or to support the state when needed.
3. Q: How did the Mughal state typically manage overly powerful zamindars?
A. Always granted complete autonomy
B. Ignored them permanently
C. Co-opted them with grants/titles or suppressed them militarily ✅
D. Sent them into exile abroad
Explanation: The state balanced coercion and co-optation—using grants, mansabs, or military action to keep powerful intermediaries in check.
4. Q: Which practice could protect peasants from arbitrary exactions by zamindars?
A. Absence of records
B. Strong record-keeping (shujra, daftars) and periodic audits ✅
C. Removing all amils immediately
D. Complete reliance on oral agreements
Explanation: Written maps and registers (shujra, daftars) plus inspections provided documentary checks on intermediary excesses and helped enforce accountability.
5. Q: A likely social consequence when zamindars extracted heavily from raiyats was:
A. Greater peasant prosperity
B. Peasant indebtedness, land alienation and occasional uprisings ✅
C. Complete abolition of taxes
D. Instant industrialisation
Explanation: Excessive levies and arrears often led to peasant debt, loss of land, and periodic disturbances—an important point in NCERT discussions of agrarian relations.