In the Mughal land revenue system, the term 'jama' referred to the:

In the Mughal land revenue system, "jama" referred to the amount of revenue that was assessed (fixed) on the land, as distinct from "hasil", the amount that was actually collected.

Jama and hasil:

• NCERT explains that the land revenue arrangements consisted of two stages: first, assessment, and then actual collection.
• The jama was the amount assessed, as opposed to hasil, the amount collected.
• In practice, the amount collected (hasil) was often less than the amount assessed (jama), because of crop failures, natural disasters, or resistance by peasants and zamindars.
• The revenue officials had to report both amounts.

Mughal revenue officials:

• "Amil-guzar" (amalguzar): the revenue collector; Akbar ordered that he should try to collect in cash, though payment in kind was also allowed.
• "Qanungo": kept records of land and revenue at the pargana level.
• "Patwari": the village accountant.
• "Diwan": the head of revenue administration in a province.

Akbar's revenue system:

• Akbar's revenue system was based on the measurement of land and the average produce and prices of the previous ten years.
• The state's share was about one-third of the average produce.
• The revenue was usually collected in cash.

Different systems of assessment:

• "Zabt" (measurement): used in the core regions of the empire.
• "Ghallabakhshi" or "batai": crop-sharing.
• "Kankut": estimation of the crop.
• "Nasaq": a rough calculation based on past records.

Revenue and jagirs:

The jama of a territory was also used to decide the value of the jagirs assigned to mansabdars.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The amount actually collected was called hasil.
• ✗Land under cultivation and the village headman had other names.