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.
Shivaji strictly prohibited ________.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → grants of land in lieu of military or other services
The passage says, "He strictly prohibited grants of land in lieu of military or other services." In lieu of means in place of, instead of: land was not to be given as payment for service.
Example: He was given a week's leave in lieu of the holiday he had worked on.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: repairing of old forts — Incorrect. Contradicted: far from prohibiting it, Shivaji "spent money like water on repairing old forts".
Option 2: plunder of the areas of Mughal and other neighbouring rulers — Incorrect. Misread: the passage mentions army regulations for plunder, which means plunder was regulated, not prohibited.
Option 4: innovative measures — Incorrect. Contradicted: Shivaji himself introduced innovations in almost every branch of administration.