Module 4: Suri Administration, Land Revenue, Currency & Infrastructure

📖 Chapter 5 of 6 🧩 Module 4 of 6 ⏱️ ~3 min read 💡 10 MCQs

Topic Part 1 of 2

Concept

Subtopic 4.1: Administrative Laboratory, The Seven Sarkars of Bihar & Standardized Currency

Sher Shah's innovative administrative apparatus laid the institutional foundation later adopted by Akbar and the British:

Sasaram as the Administrative Laboratory: Sahasram (Sasaram) served as the primary administrative laboratory (प्रशासनिक प्रयोगशाला) of Sher Shah, where he tested agrarian revenue collection, village police responsibility, and judicial impartiality during his stewardship of his father's jagir.
Provincial Division into Sarkars:
• Under Sher Shah's rule, Bihar was partitioned into 7 administrative Sarkars (प्रमंडल/सरकारें): Bihar, Munger, Champaran, Saran, Tirhut, Rohtas, and Hajipur.
• In his entire imperial realm, there were 47 Sarkars according to Dr. K.R. Qanungo, or 66 Sarkars according to Dr. Satish Chandra (with 19 in Bengal).
• Each Sarkar was governed by two chief officials: the Shiqdar-i-Shiqdaran (law and order) and the Munsif-i-Munsifan (civil justice and revenue assessment).
Land Revenue Reforms (Zabti, Patta & Qabuliyat):
• Surveyed and measured agricultural land using the uniform Sikandari Gaz (39 digits) and sunn/hemp measuring cords (सन की डंडी).
• Introduced the Patta (written title deed stating crop dues) and Qabuliyat (formal deed of agreement signed by the peasant accepting the assessment).
Monetary & Currency Standardization: Abolished debased mixed-metal coinage and instituted the pure standard tri-metallic system:
• Rupia: Pure silver coin weighing 178 grains (containing approx. 175 grains of pure silver), which became the precursor of the modern Indian Rupee.
• Dam: Standard copper coin weighing 380 grains. The exchange ratio was fixed at 1 Rupia = 64 Dams.
Highway Infrastructure (Sadak-e-Azam / Grand Trunk Road): Rebuilt the transcontinental trunk highway stretching from Sonargaon (Bengal) through Bihar, Delhi, and Lahore to Peshawar, known as Sadak-e-Azam (later designated the Grand Trunk Road by Governor-General Lord Auckland). Over 1,700 well-fortified Sarais (inns) equipped with wells, mosques, postal couriers (Dak Chauki), and markets were constructed at two-kos intervals.
What Sher Shah Did NOT Construct: Sher Shah did NOT construct the Ibadat Khana (the House of Worship at Fatehpur Sikri was built decades later by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1575 CE).
Literary Contemporaries: Celebrated Awadhi Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi, author of the epic Padmavat (1540 CE), was a contemporary of Sher Shah. His official biography, Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi (Tuhfat-i-Akbar Shahi), was composed by chronicler Abbas Khan Sarwani.

⭐ Key Points

Sasaram was the administrative laboratory of Sher Shah.
There were 7 Sarkars (divisions) in Bihar under Sher Shah.
Sher Shah introduced the Zabti system, Sikandari Gaz, and the silver Rupia (All of the above).
Constructed the Grand Trunk Road (Sadak-e-Azam) across northern India.
Sher Shah did NOT build the Ibadat Khana (it was built by Akbar).
Renowned poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi was contemporary to Sher Shah.
Abbas Khan Sarwani composed the biography Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi.

📌 One-line Q&A

Question: What was Sher Shah's administrative laboratory? Answer: Sasaram.
Question: How many Sarkars (divisions) existed in Bihar under Sher Shah? Answer: 7 Sarkars.
Question: Who built the Grand Trunk Road? Answer: Sher Shah Suri.
Question: Which action was NOT undertaken by Sher Shah? Answer: Construction of the Ibadat Khana.
Question: Which famous Awadhi poet was a contemporary of Sher Shah? Answer: Malik Muhammad Jayasi.

Topic

Questions

MCQs

Answer this question, then use Next.

Question 1: Where was the administrative laboratory of Sher Shah situated?

Sasaram was the testing ground where Sher Shah perfected his revenue, police, and administrative systems.

Question 2: How many Sarkars (divisions) were under Sher Shah's administration in Bihar?

Sher Shah divided Bihar into 7 administrative units termed Sarkars.

Question 3: Which of the following reforms/works was carried out by Sher Shah Suri?

Sher Shah executed all these fundamental agrarian and monetary reforms.

Question 4: Who constructed the famous Grand Trunk Road (Sadak-e-Azam)?

Sher Shah constructed the Grand Trunk Road from Sonargaon to Peshawar with sarais and wells.

Question 5: Which of the following works was NOT carried out by Sher Shah Suri?

The Ibadat Khana was built in 1575 CE at Fatehpur Sikri by Mughal Emperor Akbar.

Question 6: Which statements regarding Sher Shah are correct? 1. His successor was his son Islam Shah. 2. He made Patna capital in 1542. 3. Poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi was his contemporary.

Statement 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is incorrect because Patna was refounded in 1541 CE, not 1542 CE.

Question 7: What was the weight of the copper coin 'Dam' introduced by Sher Shah Suri?

Sher Shah's copper coin (Dam) weighed 380 grains, while his silver Rupia weighed 178 grains.

Question 8: In the land revenue administration of Sher Shah, who was the chief judicial and assessment officer at the Sarkar level?

Munsif-i-Munsifan supervised revenue assessment, while Shiqdar-i-Shiqdaran maintained law and order.

Question 9: Who authored the authentic Persian chronicle 'Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi'?

Abbas Khan Sarwani composed Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi at the command of Emperor Akbar.

Question 10: How many Sarkars (divisions) were in Bengal under Sher Shah's imperial reorganization?

According to Dr. Satish Chandra, out of 66 imperial Sarkars, exactly 19 were in Bengal and 7 in Bihar.

Question 1 of 10

One-liners

Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.

What was Sher Shah's administrative laboratory?

Sasaram.

How many Sarkars (divisions) existed in Bihar under Sher Shah?

7 Sarkars.

Who built the Grand Trunk Road?

Sher Shah Suri.

Which action was NOT undertaken by Sher Shah?

Construction of the Ibadat Khana.

Which famous Awadhi poet was a contemporary of Sher Shah?

Malik Muhammad Jayasi.

Question 1 of 5