Consider the following pairs of High Offices and concerned Departments

Consider the following pairs of High Offices and concerned Departments in the Mauryan Administration :

  • 1. Samahartri : Chief Collector of Revenue
  • 2. Dauvarika : Chief of Army
  • 3. Akshapatala : Records-cum-Audit Officer
  • 4. Samnidhatri : Treasurer

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched ?

1 and 2 only
1, 3 and 4 only
3 and 4 only
1, 2, 3 and 4
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2024
Let’s examine each pair:
1. Samahartri: Chief Collector of Revenue. This is correctly matched. The Samahartri was responsible for the collection of all revenues and supervising the various departments of finance.
2. Dauvarika: Chief of Army. This is incorrectly matched. The Dauvarika was the Chief Royal Gate-keeper, responsible for the security and protocol of the palace. The Chief of Army was known as Senapati.
3. Akshapatala: Records-cum-Audit Officer. This is correctly matched. The Akshapatala was in charge of maintaining royal accounts, records, and auditing them.
4. Samnidhatri: Treasurer. This is correctly matched. The Samnidhatri was the chief custodian of the state treasury and storehouses.
Therefore, pairs 1, 3, and 4 are correctly matched.
– Samahartri: Revenue collector.
– Dauvarika: Palace gate-keeper.
– Akshapatala: Accounts/Audit officer.
– Samnidhatri: Treasurer.
– Senapati: Chief of Army.
The Mauryan administration, as described in Kautilya’s Arthashastra, was highly centralized and bureaucratic. Various officers, known as ‘adhyakshas’ and other high officials, were appointed to manage different departments of the state, including revenue, treasury, army, justice, commerce, agriculture, etc. These designations reflect a sophisticated administrative system for its time.
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