Previous Year Question
Which one of the following is NOT the characteristics of ‘Iqta System’?
Iqta was a revenue collection system.
Siyasatnama was the source of information for Iqta System.
Revenue from Iqta was directly deposited in Sultan's account.
Muqti was supposed to maintain troops out of the revenue collected from Iqta.
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
In the administrative system of the Delhi Sultanate, an Iqta was an arrangement under which an officer was assigned the right to collect revenue from a particular territory. The officer holding an Iqta was generally known as a Muqti or Iqtadar.
The Muqti collected revenue from the assigned territory. From this revenue, he had to meet administrative expenditure and maintain troops required for the service of the Sultan. Therefore, options (a) and (d) describe characteristics of the Iqta system.
Among the important historical sources providing information about the Iqta system was the Siyasatnama. It contains descriptions relating to the position of the Muqti, peasants and revenue rights under the Iqta arrangement. Therefore, option (b) is also a correct characteristic.
However, the entire revenue collected from an Iqta was not directly deposited in the Sultan's account. The Muqti first met the prescribed administrative and military expenditure from it.
The amount remaining after these expenses was known as Fawazil, or surplus, and was required to be remitted to the central treasury. Therefore, remitting the surplus to the centre and depositing the entire revenue directly in the Sultan's account were two different things.
The Muqti was also not the owner of the Iqta. His authority was primarily related to revenue collection and administration, and the Sultan could transfer or revoke his Iqta.