ICSE Class 8 Answered

It were not only administrative but also socio, religious and cultural policies followed by the last Mughal ruler that led to the decline of the Mughal Empire.

• During the reign of Akbar, the Rajputs and the Hindu kings were trusted and were given high administrative offices. However, during the reign of Aurangzeb, the Rajputs began to be looked down and no major administrative responsibility was entrusted to them. Hence, the Rajputs who had earlier helped the Mughal Empire to maintain its strength started challenging the it. Aurangzeb should have continued to follow the policy of friendship and tolerance towards the Rajput and the Hindu rulers. 
• The Jagirdari crisis should have been handled well by Shahjahan and Aurangzeb. The Jagirdari system could have worked, had the Mughals reconciled with the zamindars during the rule of Aurangzeb and come up with a settlement with Marathas. But by the time settlement was achieved, after Aurangzeb, Marathas had become powerful, and the Mughal aristocracy had weakened. This further deepened the Jagirdari crisis which eventually led to the downfall of the Mughal Empire.
• Corruption had become prevalent in administrative structure of the Mughal Empire. If the Emperors would have taken steps to reduce corruption, the administrative machinery perhaps would not have completely broken down by the late 18th century.