• Mansabdari was a unique system devised by the Mughals in India. The Mansabdari system, evolved by Akbar with certain changes and modifications, was the basis of civil and military administrations under the Mughals. The word Mansab means a place or position. The Mansab awarded to an individual fixed both his status in the official hierarchy and also his salary. It also fixed the number of armed retainers the holders of Mansab was to maintain.

• Initially a single number represented the rank, personal pay and the size of the contingent of the Mansabdar. Later the rank of the Mansabdar came to be denoted by two numbers – Zat and Sawar. The Zat denoted personal rank of an official and the Sawar indicated the size of contingents maintained by the Mansabdars. Depending on the strength of the contingent, the Mansabdars were placed in three categories.

• But, there were exceptions to this rule, particularly when the Mansabdar was serving in a difficult terrian amidst the rebels. In such cases, the state often increased the Sawar rank without altering the Zat rank. Sometimes, the Sawar rank was also increased for a temporary period to meet emergency situations. Jahangir introduced a new provision in the Sawar rank. According to it, a part of the Sawar rank was termed Du-Aspa Sih-Aspa in case of select Mansabdars. For this part, additional payment at the same rate 8,000 dams per Sawar was sanctioned. Thus, the Mansabdar was to maintain double number of Sawars for the Du-Aspa Sih-Aspa category and was paid for it. Jahangir probably introduced this provision to promote nobles of his confidence and strengthen them militarily. By this provision, he could increase the military strength of his nobles without, effecting any change in their Zat rank.

• Shahjahan introduced the month-scale in the Mansabdari system to compensate the gap between Jama (estimated income) and Hasil (actual realisation). The biggest problem was that the calculation was made on the basis of the expected income (Jama) from the Jagir during one year. It was noticed that the actual revenue collection (hasil) always fell short of the estimated income. In such a situation, the Mansabdar’s salaries were fixed by a method called month-scale. Thus, if a Jagir yielded only half of the Jama, it was called Shashmaha (six monthly), if it yielded only one fourth, it was called Sihmaha (three monthly).

• Aurangzeb continued with all these changes and created an additional rank, called Mashrut (conditional). This was an attempt to increase the Sawar rank of the Mansabdar temporarily. Aurangzeb added one another deduction, called Khurak-i-dawwab, towards meeting the cost for feed of animals in the imperial stables.