Which of the following was a primary objective of Alauddin Khilji's ‘Market Control’ (Zawabit) regulations?

Correct — C. The main source for the reforms, the chronicler Ziauddin Barani, says the Mongol threat pushed Alauddin to raise a very large army. Such an army would drain the treasury unless soldiers could live on modest fixed salaries.

So the state fixed prices in Delhi, stored grain in its own granaries and punished traders who overcharged. Cheap essentials made low pay workable → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  To expand treasury revenue by encouraging unrestricted trade with neighboring regions. — The reforms did the opposite of unrestricted trade. Merchants were registered, prices were set by the state, and market superintendents punished anyone selling above the fixed rate.
• (b)
  To replace religious taxation with a uniform system of commercial levies across markets. — The regulations were price controls, not a tax reform. They fixed what goods sold for in Delhi's markets and did not swap religious dues for commercial levies.
• (d)
  To promote overseas trade by encouraging Indian textile exports to foreign empires. — The rules targeted supply and prices in Delhi, where the army was based. Delhi's merchants had to bring goods to the official market and sell at fixed rates, not ship them abroad.

Alauddin Khalji ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1296 to 1316. Mongol attacks, including a 1303 invasion of Delhi, pressed hard in his reign, and he answered with a large standing army.

The market regulations were the economics behind that army. Grain from the crown lands of the Doab was collected in kind and stored in state granaries.

Grain, cloth, horses, slaves and cattle were sold at official prices, watched by market superintendents and spies.

Key facts

• Ziauddin Barani is the main source for Alauddin Khalji's market regulations.
• According to Barani, low prices were meant to make low salaries acceptable to a very large army.
• Grain from the crown lands (khalisa) of the Doab was collected in kind and stored in state granaries.
• The price controls were revoked soon after Alauddin's death, by his son Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah.

Common traps

• Choosing a revenue or trade option because the reforms were economic. Their purpose was military: an affordable army.
• Assuming only grain was controlled. Cloth, horses, slaves and cattle were price-listed too.

No directly related past PYQ was found.