Alauddin Khalji was the first Sultan to maintain a large, permanent standing army directly under the state. He expanded it to protect India from Mongol invasions and enforce his administrative reforms. He paid soldiers in cash and introduced branding of horses and descriptive rolls to prevent corruption, significantly strengthening the military structure of the Sultanate. ANSWER: (B) Alauddin Khalji
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Alauddin Khalji introduced major military reforms by raising a large, fully salaried standing army under direct state control. This step was necessary due to frequent Mongol attacks and his need to assert authority over rebellious chiefs. He implemented the dagh (branding of horses) and chehra (descriptive rolls of soldiers) systems to eliminate fraud in the army. Soldiers were paid in cash, a major administrative innovation for the time. Unlike earlier sultans, who relied mainly on feudal levies, Alauddin’s professional and disciplined military force strengthened the Delhi Sultanate remarkably and allowed him to expand his empire efficiently.