Directions: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow by selecting the correct/most appropriate options:

For Man Singh, the ruler of Amer it was the first and proud occasion to lead such a vast army. He was a Rajput and it had become Akbar's policy to put one Rajput against another. He had experienced the success of this policy as well. Maharana Pratap was held in great honour among the Rajputs. There was a massive ill-will against Amer in Mewar. Akbar wanted to irritate Pratap by sending the prince of Amer to fight against him. Perhaps it was difficult for Akbar to drag Pratap out of mountains. May be Akbar thought that in case the prince of Amer led the army, Pratap would feel ashamed of hiding in the mountains and would suddenly come to the battleground and get defeated.

Akbar decided to ignore the sentiments of Muslim nobles. It was a great decision even for him to appoint Man Singh as the commander-in-chief. The appointment of Man Singh was more meaningful because it was he first opportunity after Hemu in 1556, that a Hindu was leading a Muslim army. There was discontent among the Muslim courtiers. So Akbar announced the appointment not at Fatehpur Sikri but Ajmer. It proves that he already knew that his decision would be unpleasant to many. However, he was firm on his decision, which he had taken after a lot of thought.

Akbar also knew that he was testing his Rajput soldiers loyalty by asking them to pick up arms against a Rajput king. He also knew that only Rajputs would be able to fight an enemy like the Sisodiyas on the uneven and bumpy terrain of Mewar.