During the Mughal period, what term was used for 'revenue collector'?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 2

The correct answer is Option (2) → Amil-Guzar

Option (1) Diwan — Incorrect. The office (daftar) of the diwan was responsible for supervising the fiscal system of the empire as a whole. The diwan did not go out to collect revenue from the cultivators.

Option (2) Amil-Guzar — Correct. The amil-guzar was the revenue collector. In his list of duties of the amil-guzar, Akbar decreed that he should strive to make cultivators pay in cash, though the option of payment in kind was also to be kept open.

Option (3) Zamindar — Incorrect. Zamindars were a landed class who held extensive personal lands (milkiyat) and enjoyed social and economic privileges in rural society. They could often collect revenue on behalf of the state as a service for which they were paid, but the word names this landed class, not the revenue official.

Option (4) Amin — Incorrect. The amin was an official responsible for ensuring that imperial regulations were carried out in the provinces.

Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.

2026	2025	2024	2023	2022
–	23-05 S1	–	14-06 S1*	–

* A similar question.

NCERT (2026-27): “6. Land Revenue System … The land revenue arrangements consisted of two stages – first, assessment and then actual collection. The jama was the amount assessed, as opposed to hasil, the amount collected. In his list of duties of the amil-guzar or revenue collector, Akbar decreed that while he should strive to make cultivators pay in cash, the option of payment in kind was also to be kept open.…”