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Predicted Questions with Model Answers
Q1 (5 marks — 50 words): What is 'Sayar'? Explain its significance under the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955.
Model Answer:
Sayar means income from sources appurtenant to agricultural land other than the principal crop — specifically trees, forest produce, fisheries, water bodies, and minor minerals from field boundaries. Under the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955, Sayar revenue is recorded separately by the Patwari in the Khasra register (distinct from 'Mal'/crop revenue), assessed differently, and collected as part of the overall land revenue due from the khata.
Q2 (5 marks — 50 words): Distinguish between Khatedar and Ghair Khatedar tenants under the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955.
Model Answer:
Khatedar tenant [Section 5(18)] holds land with a permanent, hereditary, and transferable right of occupancy; rights pass to legal heirs and can be sold/mortgaged. Ghair Khatedar tenant [Section 5(10)] has a temporary, non-heritable, and non-transferable right; ejectment is easier. However, a Ghair Khatedar who cultivates continuously for five years automatically acquires Khatedar status under Section 19.
Q3 (5 marks — 50 words): What is the Sagri system? How did the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955 abolish it?
Model Answer:
Sagri was an intergenerational bonded-labour system in Rajasthan where cultivators (typically lower-caste) were compelled to work on landlords' lands indefinitely in lieu of ancestral debts. The Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955, Section 177 declared all existing Sagri obligations void and criminalised their enforcement; debtors retained the right to repay through civil courts without labour obligations. The Bonded Labour Act 1976 reinforced this nationally.
Q4 (5 marks — 50 words): On what grounds can a Khatedar tenant be ejected under the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955?
Model Answer:
Under Section 183 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955, a Khatedar tenant can be ejected only on these grounds: (1) non-payment of rent for two consecutive years; (2) use of land for non-agricultural purpose without consent; (3) unlawful subletting in violation of restrictions; (4) transfer of tenancy in contravention of Section 42. Arbitrary ejectment is prohibited; the Revenue Court must adjudicate before ejectment.
Q5 (5 marks — 50 words): What is the role of the Patwari in tenancy administration under the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955?
Model Answer:
The Patwari is the foundational revenue functionary who maintains the Khasra (field register), Khata (land account), and Jamabandi (Record of Rights) — the primary legal documents establishing tenancy. Key duties: recording seasonal crop cultivation, reporting mutations (changes in tenancy), issuing certified copies (Nakal) of land records, investigating disputes, preparing land acquisition notices, and reporting encroachments on government land. Their Khasra entry is prima facie evidence of tenancy status.
Q6 (5 marks — 50 words): Explain the provisions for subletting under the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955.
Model Answer:
The Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955 generally prohibits subletting by Khatedar tenants to preserve the "land to the tiller" principle. However, Section 45 permits subletting only for: widows unable to cultivate; persons with physical disability; minors; persons in military service; and women observing purdah. Sub-tenancy duration is limited to five years; the sub-tenant cannot acquire Khatedar rights regardless of cultivation period.