How is the council of eight evidence of institutional thinking in Maratha rule?

It divided functions of rule into departments and responsibilities

Direct answer: Option A, it divided functions of rule into departments and responsibilities. The Ashtapradhan was a council of eight important officials associated with Shivaji’s Maratha administration. Institutional thinking means organizing government through defined offices, duties and responsibility instead of leaving every task undefined or dependent on one person. The reasoning is: a council has several members; different members handle different areas of administration; each office carries a particular responsibility; therefore government work becomes more organized and accountable. Option A is correct because division of functions into offices shows a structured administrative system. Option B is wrong because writing war songs is a cultural or literary activity, not the main institutional role of the council. Option C is wrong because melting coins is not the purpose of the Ashtapradhan and does not represent division of governmental responsibilities. Option D is wrong because arranging sea voyages was not the defining work of this council; maritime activity was not the meaning of the Ashtapradhan system. The key lesson is that an institution is shown by regular roles and duties. Memory cue: “eight ministers, eight responsibilities”—the number helps remember an organized council, not eight unrelated activities.

This is a Class 10 General Knowledge question. Chapter: Indian History. Topic: Famous Indian Rulers.