WBCS.LIVE practice question

‘Chauth’ was-

Solve this multiple-choice question and check the correct answer with its explanation below.

Answer options

  1. A religious tax imposed by Aurangzeb
  2. Toll tax imposed by Shivaji
  3. Irrigation tax charged by Akbar
  4. Land tax levied by Shivaji on neighbouring states

Correct answer and explanation

Correct answer: Land tax levied by Shivaji on neighbouring states

Explanation: The correct answer is D. Land tax levied by Shivaji on neighbouring states. Chauth was a type of tax or tribute that Shivaji Maharaj and the later Maratha rulers demanded from neighbouring kingdoms and Mughal territories. The term ‘Chauth’ literally means one-fourth, and it referred to 25% of the revenue or produce of a region. It was not a tax collected by the state for services, but more like a protection payment.