Assertion (A): Balban could not raise the numerical strength of the army to the level which it reached later at the time of Allauddin Khilji.
Reason (R): Balban insisted upon high birth as an essential qualification for appointments to higher civil and military posts.
Choose the correct option from the following:

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Telangana Police SI Prelims 2022 Official Paper

Answer 1

The correct answer is 1) (A) is true, (R) is true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Key Points

Balban’s policies were focused on consolidating power and strengthening the central authority.
He insisted on high birth as a qualification for civil and military posts, which limited the pool of qualified candidates.
This insistence on aristocratic lineage restricted the ability to rapidly expand the army's numerical strength.
In contrast, Alauddin Khilji adopted a more pragmatic approach and recruited soldiers based on merit, enabling him to expand his army significantly.

Important Points

Balban's reign was characterized by his strong emphasis on maintaining law and order, which required a disciplined and loyal army.
However, his restrictive recruitment policy created challenges in scaling the army to the size required for large-scale campaigns.
Alauddin Khilji's military reforms, including market control measures to ensure soldier affordability, allowed for a larger and more efficient army.
These differences in governance styles led to contrasting military capabilities between Balban and Alauddin Khilji’s reigns.