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?

The correct answer is  1, 3 and 4 only.

Key PointsMauryan Administration

• Samahartri: The Samahartri was the Chief Collector of Revenue in the Mauryan administration. This officer was responsible for the collection of taxes and revenues from the empire. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Dauvarika: The Dauvarika was not the Chief of Army. Instead, the Dauvarika was an officer responsible for the palace gates and acted as a chamberlain. The Chief of Army in the Mauryan administration was known as the Senapati. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Akshapatala: The Akshapatala was the Records-cum-Audit Officer. This officer maintained records and was responsible for auditing the accounts. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Samnidhatri: The Samnidhatri was the Treasurer in the Mauryan administration. This officer was responsible for managing the state's treasury and ensuring the safekeeping of funds. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

Additional Information

• The Mauryan Empire was established by Chandragupta Maurya in 321 BCE and is considered one of the largest and most powerful political and military empires of ancient India.
• The administration was highly organized with a centralized bureaucracy and various officials were appointed to manage different aspects of governance.
• The Arthashastra, attributed to Kautilya (Chanakya), provides extensive details on the administrative framework and economic policies of the Mauryan Empire.
• The empire was divided into provinces which were further subdivided into districts, each governed by officials responsible for law and order, revenue collection, and administration of justice.
• Other key officials included the Senapati (Chief of Army), Pradeshikas (District Governors), and Rajukas (Revenue Officers).
• The Mauryan administration also placed a strong emphasis on the welfare of the people, with measures for public health, infrastructure development, and economic prosperity.