Consider the following statements : 1. Under Akbar, the system of Zabt was established over a large area from Punjab to Awadh. 2. In the seventeenth century North India, the system of Zabt lost much ground to the system of Kankut. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Under Emperor Akbar, the Zabt system (or Dahsala) was systematically introduced around 1580. This revenue system, based on measurement and fixed cash rates, was established over a vast core area of the Mughal Empire extending from Punjab to Awadh [1]. While it was the most important method of assessment, it was not universal even within these regions. Regarding the second statement, historical evidence from the seventeenth century indicates that the Zabt system did not lose ground to Kankut; rather, it remained the standard for measurement-based assessment. In fact, modified versions of Kankut often transformed into Zabt over time. While other systems like Nasaq or Ghalla-Bakshi existed, there is no historical consensus that Kankut specifically displaced Zabt across North India during the 17th century. Therefore, only the first statement is historically accurate.

Sources

1. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > 14.10 Economy > p. 215