Development of Press in Modern India (Part-II)

1. Who have introduced the printing press in India and in which year? [Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2011]

(a) English East India Company in 1674
(b) Portuguese in 1556
(c) Spanish in 1680
(d) French in 1745

Correct Answer: (b) Portuguese in 1556

Solution:Portuguese established the Printing Press for the first time in Asia in Goa in 1556 AD.

The first press was established at Saint Paul's College in Old Goa. This marked the beginning of printing technology in Asia, allowing for wider dissemination of knowledge and information.

2. The first newspaper in India was [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) (Spl) 2004]

(a) Bengal Gazette
(b) Hindustan Times
(c) Pioneer
(d) Sambad Kaumadi

Correct Answer: (a) Bengal Gazette

Solution:The Bengal Gazette was an English newspaper published in Kolkata (then Calcutta), India. It was the first major newspaper in India, started in 1780 by James Augustus Hicky.

3. Which among the following was the first newspaper published in India? [U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Spl) (Mains) 2010]

(a) The Bengal Gazette
(b) The Calcutta Times
(c) Madras Courier
(d) Bombay Herald

Correct Answer: (a) The Bengal Gazette

Solution:The Bengal Gazette was an English newspaper published in Kolkata (then Calcutta), India. It was the first major newspaper in India, started in 1780 by James Augustus Hicky.

4. Who among the following had primarily implemented the Press Censorship? [U.P. P.C.S. (Pre) 2001]

(a) Wellesley
(b) Hastings
(c) John Adams
(d) Dalhousie

Correct Answer: (a) Wellesley

Solution:Many newspapers were published between 1766-1789. In 1799 A.D. Lord Wellesley brought The Censorship of the Press Act, 1799. Lord Hastings abrogated the Act in 1818.

5. Who among the following repealed the Vernacular Press Act of 1878? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2005 39th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1994]

(a) Lord Ripon
(b) Lord Lytton
(c) Lord Curzon
(d) Lord Minto

Correct Answer: (a) Lord Ripon

Solution:Lord Lytton (1876-1880) passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878 A.D. By this Act, the Magistrates of the districts were empowered without the prior permission of the Government to call upon a publisher of any kind to enter into a bond, undertaking not to publish anything that might "rouse" feelings of disaffection against the Government. The magistrate was also authorized to deposit security, which could be confiscated if the publisher violated the bond. If a publisher repeated the violation, their press could be seized. Thus, the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 gagged the native language press. There was a popular protest against this Act. This Act was later repealed by Lord Ripon in 1882.

6. Who among the following introduced the Vernacular Press Act? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2007]

(a) Lord Lytton
(b) Lord Ripon
(c) Lord Curzon
(d) Lord Hastings

Correct Answer: (a) Lord Lytton

Solution:Lord Lytton (1876-1880) passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878 A.D. By this Act, the Magistrates of the districts were empowered without the prior permission of the Government to call upon a publisher of any kind to enter into a bond, undertaking not to publish anything that might "rouse" feelings of disaffection against the Government. The magistrate was also authorized to deposit security, which could be confiscated if the publisher violated the bond. If a publisher repeated the violation, their press could be seized. Thus, the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 gagged the native language press. There was a popular protest against this Act. This Act was later repealed by Lord Ripon in 1882.

7. Under whose Governor-Generalship was the Vernacular Act repealed? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2009]

(a) Lord Ripon
(b) Lord Lytton
(c) Lord Curzon
(d) Lord Dufferin

Correct Answer: (a) Lord Ripon

Solution:Lord Lytton (1876-1880) passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878 A.D. By this Act, the Magistrates of the districts were empowered without the prior permission of the Government to call upon a publisher of any kind to enter into a bond, undertaking not to publish anything that might "rouse" feelings of disaffection against the Government. The magistrate was also authorized to deposit security, which could be confiscated if the publisher violated the bond. If a publisher repeated the violation, their press could be seized. Thus, the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 gagged the native language press. There was a popular protest against this Act. This Act was later repealed by Lord Ripon in 1882.

8. Which of the following statements about the Vernacular Press Act is/are correct? [69th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2023]

(a) Only 1 and 2
(b) Only 2 and 3
(c) Only 1
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution:Lord Lytton (1876-1880) passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878 A.D. By this Act, the Magistrates of the districts were empowered without the prior permission of the Government to call upon a publisher of any kind to enter into a bond, undertaking not to publish anything that might "rouse" feelings of disaffection against the Government. The magistrate was also authorized to deposit security, which could be confiscated if the publisher violated the bond. If a publisher repeated the violation, their press could be seized. Thus, the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 gagged the native language press. There was a popular protest against this Act. This Act was later repealed by Lord Ripon in 1882.

9. In which of the following year was the freedom of press given by Lord William Bentinck? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2023]

(a) 1832 A.D
(b) 1833 A.D.
(c) 1834 A.D.
(d) 1835 A.D.

Correct Answer: (d) 1835 A.D.

Solution:Governor General Lord William Bentinck has shown positive response toward press. To give freedom to press a bill was introduced in his tenure but when act was passed, at that time, Charles Metcalf was the acting governor general. In August, 1835 during the tenure of Charles Metcalf, the Press Act was enacted. Thus Metcalf was known as Liberator of Indian Press.

10. Who was the first Indian to go to jail in performance of his duty as a journalist? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1997]

(a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(b) Dadabhai Nauroji
(c) Motilal Ghosh
(d) Surendra Nath Banerjee

Correct Answer: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Solution:The first Indian to go to jail in the performance of his duty as a journalist was Bal Gangadhar Tilak. In 1882, he was punished with four months imprisonment as he strongly criticized the then Maharaj of Kolhapur. In 1897, he was rigorously imprisoned for 18 months for provoking Chapekar brothers to murder two Englishmen through his writings. Some historians have mentioned that Surendra Nath Banerjee was the first Indian journalist to go to jail. However he was jailed on 2 April 1883 for his article in the "Bengalee."