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Print, Protest, and Power: The Indian Press and Its Legal History•hard•10 questions•~14 min
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Question 01
medium
Which of the following correctly matches the press regulation with the governor-general/acting governor-general responsible for enacting it?
(a) Censorship of Press Act, 1799 — Lord Hastings
(b) Licensing Regulations, 1823 — John Adams
(c) Press Act, 1835 — Lord Wellesley
(d) Vernacular Press Act, 1878 — Lord Ripon
Question 02
hard
Consider the following statements about the Vernacular Press Act (VPA), 1878:
1. It applied equally to English-language and vernacular newspapers.
2. A vernacular newspaper could obtain exemption by submitting proofs to a government censor.
3. The magistrate's decision under the Act was subject to appeal in the High Court.
4. The Amrita Bazar Patrika converted into an English newspaper overnight to escape its provisions.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Question 03
hard
Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of press-related events?
(a) Licensing Regulations → Press Act (Metcalfe) → Vernacular Press Act → Registration Act
(b) Censorship of Press Act → Licensing Regulations → Press Act (Metcalfe) → Registration Act → Vernacular Press Act
(c) Press Act (Metcalfe) → Licensing Regulations → Registration Act → Vernacular Press Act
(d) Licensing Regulations → Registration Act → Press Act (Metcalfe) → Vernacular Press Act
Question 04
medium
Bal Gangadhar Tilak's first sedition trial in 1897 was based on which of the following?
(a) His direct call in Kesari for the assassination of British officials in the context of the Poona famine
(b) Publication of the poem 'Shivaji's Utterances' in Kesari and a speech at the Shivaji festival defending Afzal Khan's killing
(c) His organisation of the no-tax campaign in Maharashtra in 1896–97
(d) His editorials in Maharatta criticising Lord Lytton's administration during the 1876–77 famine
Question 05
hard
Which of the following statements about the Indian Press Act of 1910 is correct?
(a) It was enacted to suppress propaganda for the Non-Cooperation Movement
(b) It was the first legislation to require registration of printing presses in India
(c) It revived the worst features of the Vernacular Press Act, including the power to demand security and deregister offending newspapers
(d) It was repealed immediately after the First World War ended in 1918
Question 06
medium
Match the following newspapers with their editors:
Newspaper — Editor
I. The Bengalee — A. G. Subramaniya Aiyar
II. Voice of India — B. Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh
III. Amrita Bazar Patrika — C. Dadabhai Naoroji
IV. The Hindu — D. Surendranath Banerjea
The correct matching is:
Question 07
medium
Which of the following is correctly associated with the Press Act of 1835 (Metcalfe Act)?
(a) It imposed pre-censorship on all Indian-language newspapers for the first time
(b) It required printers to submit two copies of each issue to the local government
(c) It repealed the Licensing Regulations of 1823 and earned Metcalfe the title 'liberator of the Indian press'
(d) It was enacted in response to the Revolt of 1857 and added licensing restrictions to existing registration requirements
Question 08
hard
Consider the following statements about the role of the nationalist press in the early phase of the national movement (c. 1870–1918):
1. The Indian National Congress in its early days relied primarily on mass agitation rather than press propaganda.
2. Nationalist newspapers developed strategies such as quoting British socialist writers to covertly convey anti-imperialist views.
3. The reach of nationalist newspapers was largely confined to major cities and did not penetrate rural areas.
4. Section 124A IPC provided for transportation for life or imprisonment up to three years for causing disaffection against the British Government.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Question 09
medium
The Press Acts of 1908 and 1910 were repealed in 1921 based on the recommendations of a committee chaired by:
(a) Motilal Nehru
(b) Tej Bahadur Sapru
(c) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
(d) Surendranath Banerjea
Question 10
hard
Which of the following statements about Tilak's second major sedition case (1908) is correct?
(a) He was sentenced to 18 months rigorous imprisonment and fined
(b) His trial was based on the publication of 'Shivaji's Utterances' in Kesari
(c) He was transported to Mandalay, Burma for six years; the subsequent strikes by Bombay workers were hailed by Lenin
(d) His trial was conducted under the Vernacular Press Act, 1878
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