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 Paragana – Sarkar – Suba.

In medieval India, particularly during the Mughal administrative setup, the empire was divided into administrative units of varying hierarchical sizes. Understanding these territorial divisions from smallest to largest helps clarify their administrative structure.

1. Paragana (Smallest):
A Paragana (or Pargana) was an administrative unit comprising a cluster of villages. It was the basic unit of land revenue administration, headed by officials like the Shiqdar (executive officer) and Amil (revenue collector).

2. Sarkar (Medium):
A Sarkar was a district-level administrative unit consisting of several Paraganas. It was headed by officers such as the Faujdar (responsible for law and order) and the Amalguzar (responsible for revenue collection).

3. Suba (Largest):
A Suba was a province, which was the largest administrative division within the Mughal empire. Each Suba comprised multiple Sarkars and was governed by a Subahdar (or Nizam), who acted as the provincial governor representing the Emperor.

Therefore, arranging these administrative divisions in ascending order (from smallest to largest) gives:
Paragana → Sarkar → Suba.