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Read the following source… (Social Science 2024 32/2/1 Q34)

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Social ScienceCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2024, set 32/2/1 · 4 marks · Case-based

CBSE Class 10 Social Science 2024: question 34

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2024, paper 32/2/1, section E, question 34, for 4 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q34 · 4 marks · Case-basedCompetency-basedPrint Culture and the Modern World

Read the following source and answer the questions that follow:

Print and Censorship

The power of the printed word is most often seen in the way governments seek to regulate and suppress print. The colonial government kept continuous track of all books and newspapers published in India and passed numerous laws to control the press.

During the First World War, under the Defense of India Rules, 22 newspapers had to furnish securities. Of these, 18 shut down rather than comply with government orders. The Sedition Committee Report under Rowlatt in 1919 further strengthened controls that led to imposition of penalties on various newspapers. At the outbreak of the Second World War, the Defense of India Act was passed, allowing censoring of reports of war-related topics. All reports about the Quit India Movement came under its purview. In August 1942, about 90 newspapers were suppressed.

  1. (34.1)

    What method did the colonial government employ to keep track of Indian newspapers?

    1 mark
  2. (34.2)

    How did the colonial government's laws affect the press?

    1 mark
  3. (34.3)

    Analyse the impact of 'Sedition Committee' on Newspapers.

    2 marks

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2024 board paper, set 32/2/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

Re-read the first paragraph of the source for 34.1.

Hint 2

For 34.2, use the figures given for the First World War.

Hint 3

For 34.3, think about what happened first to a newspaper judged seditious and what followed if it did not obey.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. (34.1) The colonial government kept continuous track of all books and newspapers published in India and passed laws, such as the Vernacular Press Act, to regulate them.

    1 mark

  2. (34.2) Under the Defence of India Rules in the First World War, 22 newspapers had to furnish securities and 18 of them shut down rather than comply. Press freedom was lost.

    1 mark

  3. (34.3) After the Sedition Committee report of 1919, a report judged seditious led to a warning to the newspaper.

    1 mark

  4. If the warning was ignored, the press could be seized and its printing machinery confiscated, so newspapers were penalised and suppressed.

    1 mark

Answer: (34.1) Continuous tracking of publications and passing laws to control the press. (34.2) 18 of 22 newspapers shut down and press freedom was lost. (34.3) Seditious reports brought warnings, then seizure of the press and confiscation of machinery.

Where the marks are

  • 34.1 Any one valid method (1 mark)
  • 34.2 Any one valid effect (1 mark)
  • 34.3 Warning for seditious report (1 mark)
  • 34.3 Seizure of press and confiscation of machinery if ignored (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Print Culture and the Modern World, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2024 board paper, set 32/2/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.