With reference to medieval India, which one of the following is the correct sequence in ascending order in terms of size? ​

The correct answer is A, Pargana-Sarkar-Suba. Under Akbar's administrative setup, the empire was divided into subas (provinces), each subdivided into sarkars (districts), and each sarkar into parganas (sub-districts). So in ascending order of size, the pargana is smallest, then sarkar, then suba.

Why the others fail: Options B and C put sarkar or suba in the wrong place relative to pargana. Option D places suba below sarkar, which reverses the hierarchy, since a suba contained several sarkars.

• Suba: the largest unit, governed by a subedar, with a diwan, bakshi and sadr under the central mansabdari system.
• Sarkar: an intermediate unit under a faujdar (military and law) and amalguzar (revenue).
• Pargana: the basic unit of revenue collection, with a shiqdar and amin, and qanungo and patwari as record keepers.

The core concept is the territorial-administrative hierarchy of the Mughal state. It links to Mains GS-I on medieval polity and to the continuity of revenue units into later colonial districts.

Trap: candidates memorise the names but not the order, and often assume the suba is a sub-unit of the sarkar because the word sounds smaller. Remember the chain: suba contains sarkars, and sarkar contains parganas.