UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 67
With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law for lower castes.
- In the Mitakshara system, the sons can claim right to the property during the lifetime of the father, whereas in the Dayabhaga system, it is only after the death of the father that the sons can claim right to the property.
- The Mitakshara system deals with the matters related to the property held by male members only of a family, whereas the Dayabhaga system deals with the matters related to the property held by both male and female members of a family.
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct Option: B (2 only)
Explanation: Mitakshara and Dayabhaga were regional schools of Hindu inheritance, not upper-/lower-caste laws. Mitakshara recognised sons’ coparcenary interests by birth, whereas Dayabhaga generally vested inheritance after the father’s death.
Statement / Pair / Item-wise Analysis:
1. Incorrect / does not qualify - They are schools of Hindu inheritance law, not caste-specific codes.
2. Correct / qualifies - Mitakshara allows birthright in ancestral coparcenary property; Dayabhaga traditionally recognises succession on the father’s death.
3. Incorrect / does not qualify - The claimed male-only versus both-sex property distinction oversimplifies/misstates the schools.
Option-wise Analysis:
A. Incorrect-includes item 1, which is not valid (They are schools of Hindu inheritance law, not caste-specific codes).
B. Correct-selects exactly the supported statements/items: 2.
C. Incorrect-includes item 1, which is not valid (They are schools of Hindu inheritance law, not caste-specific codes); includes item 3, which is not valid (The claimed male-only versus both-sex property distinction oversimplifies/misstates the schools); omits valid item 2 (Mitakshara allows birthright in ancestral coparcenary property; Dayabhaga traditionally recognises succession on the father’s death).
D. Incorrect-includes item 3, which is not valid (The claimed male-only versus both-sex property distinction oversimplifies/misstates the schools); omits valid item 2 (Mitakshara allows birthright in ancestral coparcenary property; Dayabhaga traditionally recognises succession on the father’s death).
Review note: Modern Hindu succession amendments substantially changed the historical gender rules; explanation concerns traditional systems asked in the question.