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Read the given source and… (Social Science 2025 32/1/1 Q34)

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Social ScienceCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2025, set 32/1/1 · 4 marks · Case-based

CBSE Class 10 Social Science 2025: question 34

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2025, paper 32/1/1, 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-basedNationalism in India

Read the given 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 Defence 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 Defence 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)

    Explain the meaning of 'censor'.

    1 mark
  2. (34.2)

    Why did the colonial administration keep an eye on books and newspapers ?

    1 mark
  3. (34.3)

    Why did Gandhiji start a nationwide Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act ? Explain any two reasons.

    2 marks

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2025 board paper, set 32/1/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

The passage describes laws passed to control the press.

Hint 2

Ask what the nationalist press did for Indians.

Hint 3

The Rowlatt Act allowed detention. For how long, and with what kind of trial?

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) To censor means to keep track of books, newspapers and reports and to control or ban the publication of material critical of government policies.

    1 mark

  2. (34.2) Many books and newspapers criticised British misrule, and the vernacular press was assertively nationalist. These publications spread nationalist feeling and unity among Indians, so the government watched them and passed laws to suppress them.

    1 mark

  3. (34.3) First, the Rowlatt Act gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities.

    1 mark

  4. Second, it allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years, which Gandhiji saw as unjust, so he launched a nationwide satyagraha against it.

    1 mark

Answer: (34.1) Censoring means controlling or suppressing publications critical of the government. (34.2) Nationalist, critical writing was spreading unity, so it was watched. (34.3) The Act gave repressive powers and allowed detention without trial for two years.

Where the marks are

  • Meaning of censor (1 mark)
  • Reason for the colonial watch on the press (1 mark)
  • Rowlatt Act gave the government enormous repressive powers (1 mark)
  • Detention without trial for two years (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Nationalism in India, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2025 board paper, set 32/1/1: 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.