Read the passage carefully. Attempt Question:
Shivaji's administrative measures were a marvel of his time and far in advance of his age. He strictly prohibited grants of land in lieu of military or other services, thereby avoiding the patent evils of the jagir system. While the Mughal administration continued blindly on the same old model built up by Akbar, Shivaji had created innovations in almost every branch. His division of official work among eight ministers. his system of forts for the defence of his realm, his organization of the navy, his army regulations including those for discipline and plunder. his compilation of the Raja-Vyavahara-kosa, his imposition of the system of chauth are all measures of his own creation, utterly unlike what was then in vogue. Shivaji spent money like water on repairing old forts and constructing new ones. about 250 in all, which particularly suited the geographical situation of the Maratha region. Each fort was a self-sufficient unit with plenty of water supply and corn-land enclosed, so that when besieged, each fort could stand defended by a small garrison for any length of time. The sonorous and significant names given to these forts reveal Shivaji's ingenuity even in this detail and remind us even today what their use and grandeur must have been at that time.
The annual revenue of Shivaji's dominions has been roughly calculated at seven crore rupees, possibly a lot lesser than in actual realization. It may be roughly put down that all the peninsular lands, south of the river Tapti, either wholly or partially owed allegiance to Shivaji.
The Mughal administration continued blindly on the same old model of _________.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → jagir system
Shivaji prohibited grants of land in return for military or other services and so avoided the evils of the jagir system, while the Mughal administration continued blindly on the same old model built up by Akbar. The old model that Shivaji broke away from, and the Mughals kept, is the jagir system.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: navy building — Incorrect. Wrong link: the navy is mentioned as one of Shivaji's own innovations, not as the Mughal model.
Option 3: military affairs — Incorrect. Wrong link: military matters appear only among Shivaji's new army regulations; the passage does not call them the old Mughal model.
Option 4: discipline of officers — Incorrect. Wrong link: discipline is part of Shivaji's army regulations; it is not what the Mughals kept following.