Mughal Administration

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Mughal Empire was divided into Subas and further subdivided into Sarkar, Parganas and Gram.

• Subas (provinces): Head- Sipahsalar/ Subedar
• Daroga-i-dak (postal officer) was appointed at every subas
• Also other territorial units called Khalisa, Jagirs and Inams (based on ownership)
• Jahangir introduced a new provision in sawar rank. Part of the sawar rank was termed du-aspa sih-aspa in case of select mansabdars.

Officers of Mughal Empire:

• Wazir: Head of revenue department
• Diwan: Control on income and expenditure
• Mir Bakshi: Head of military department and intelligence agencies
• Diwan-i-Bayutat: Maintain road and constructions
• Sadr-us-Sadr: Incharge of charitable and religious endowments
• Mir-i-Arz: Officer in charge of petition
• Sadr: Judicial department
• Fauzdar: administrative head of district
• Amal: Revenue collection
• Shiqdar: administrative head of pargana

Judicial system:

• Criminal court was normally known as ‗Diwan-i-Mazalim‘
• In Ain-i-Akbari, details of Akbar‘s judicial procedure is mentioned
• Principal court- settlement in Quazi‘s court o Capital punishments and Harsh punishments were frequent

 Military Organisation:

• Soldiers supplied by Mansabdars
• Troops under mansabdar known as ‗Dakhii‘
• Babur introduced Gunpowder

 Jagirdari and Mansabdari System:

• Jagirs of Mughal period were same as Iqta of Delhi sultanate
• Assignment of Jagirdari was not a hereditary right
• Officers collecting Revenues in Jagirdars: Karkun, Amil, Fotedar
• All jagirdars were mansabdars but all mansabdars were not jagirdars
• Akbar introduced mansabdari system, to organise nobility and army
• Akbar introduced Dual rank- ‗Zat and ‗Sawar‘
• Mansab was based on merit and was not hereditary

  Land Revenue Administration:

• Sher shah‘s crop rate called- Dastur-ul-amal
• Todar Mal introduced a new land measurement system during Akbar‘s reign -introduced system of Dahsala or Bandobast or Zabti system
• Dashala: Average produce per bigha of each category of land was ascertained based on past 10 years‘ produce o Polaj: Lands that could be cultivated
• Parauti: Land kept uncultivated for a while
• Chachar: uncultivated land for some years
• Karori: Office of Karori concerned with assessment and collection of revenue
• Amil: During Shah Jahan‘s reign, it was responsible for assessment of revenue
• Qanungo: Local revenue official of pargana
• Shiqdar: under Shah Jahan, he was incharge of revenue collection and law and order
• Muqaddam and Patwari: Village level revenue officials