With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law for lower castes. 2. 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. 3. 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. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
A
1 and 2
B
2 only
Correct Answer
C
1 and 3
D
3 only
Explanation
Statement 2 is correct because the Mitakshara school recognizes a son’s right to ancestral property by birth, while the Dayabhaga school stipulates that rights are only acquired upon the father's death. Statement 1 is incorrect because the distinction between these schools is geographical (Dayabhaga in Bengal and Assam, Mitakshara in the rest of India) rather than based on caste. The core concept tested is the evolution of ancient Indian legal systems and the specific differences in property inheritance and coparcenary rights between the two major schools of Hindu Law.
Ancient Indian HistoryHindu Law Schools (Mitakshara and Dayabhaga)MitaksharaDayabhagaCivil lawUpper castesLower castesProperty rightsSonsFatherMale membersFemale members