Match List I with List II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :

List - I – List - II
A. Parati – i. Land which was never kept fallow.
B. Polaj – ii. Land kept fallow for one or two years.
C. Banjar – iii. Land kept fallow for three or four years
D. Chachar – iv. Land kept fallow for more than five years.

Question

Match List I with List II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :

List - I –  List - II 
A. Parati –   i. Land which was never kept fallow. 
B. Polaj –  ii. Land kept fallow for one or two years. 
C. Banjar –   iii. Land kept fallow for three or four years
D. Chachar –  iv. Land kept fallow for more than five years.

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:

This question relates to the detailed land classification system established during the Mughal Empire, particularly under Emperor Akbar's revenue minister, Raja Todar Mal, as part of the Zabt or Dahsala system. This classification was essential for fixing revenue demand accurately, as it categorized land based on its fertility and the frequency of cultivation. The classification was as follows:
A. Parati (or Parauti) was defined as land kept fallow for a short period—specifically one or two years—to allow the soil to regain its natural fertility before being cultivated again. This correctly links A to ii.
B. Polaj was the best class of land, which was always cultivated for every crop, never being left fallow. This continuous cultivation meant it retained the highest level of fertility, linking B to i.
C. Banjar was the lowest quality land that had been left uncultivated for five years or more. It required significant investment to restore, connecting C to iv.
D. Chachar (or Chahar) was land that was allowed to lie fallow for a medium duration, typically three or four years, before cultivation was resumed, which correctly matches D to iii.
Therefore, the correct combination is A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii, which is represented by Option 2.

The incorrect option is 1: This option incorrectly matches Polaj with (iii) "Land kept fallow for three or four years," and Chachar with (i) "Land which was never kept fallow." Polaj was the highest quality land and was cultivated continuously, while Chachar was left fallow for 3-4 years.

The incorrect option is 3: This option mistakenly matches Parati with (iii) "Land kept fallow for three or four years" and Banjar with (ii) "Land kept fallow for one or two years." Parati was only left fallow for 1-2 years, and Banjar was the worst category, left fallow for five years or more.

The incorrect option is 4: This option incorrectly links Parati with (iv) "Land kept fallow for more than five years" and Chachar with (ii) "Land kept fallow for one or two years." Parati describes short-term fallow (1-2 years), and the land left fallow for five years or more was Banjar.