Question map
Which one of the following statements is not true about Ijarah system?
Explanation
The Ijarah system was a form of revenue farming where the right to collect land revenue was auctioned to the highest bidder, known as the ijaradar. This system inherently encouraged the role of middlemen, as the state relied on these external contractors rather than direct administration to collect taxes. The ijaradar was obligated to pay a fixed, stipulated amount to the state treasury annually, regardless of the actual collection. However, statement 3 is incorrect because the system was notoriously exploitative; ijaradars were often free to decide the share of revenue and extract as much as possible from the peasants to maximize their own profit. Unlike the earlier Zabt system which had fixed rates based on survey, Ijarah led to fluctuating and oppressive demands on the peasantry, meaning land revenue was not fixed for the peasant [1].
Sources
- [1] https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/gess104.pdf