Chapter 5: Print Culture and the Modern World

Important questions — the ones the board asked most (20)

1. Q1Case-based4 marksAsked: 2024, 2026

   Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow : Print and Censorship After the revolt of 1857, the attitude of the colonial government towards freedom of the press changed. Enraged Englishmen demanded a clamp down on the 'native' press. As vernacular newspapers became assertively nationalist, the colonial government began debating measures of stringent control. In 1878, the Vernacular Press Act was passed, modelled on the Irish Press Laws. It provided the government with extensive rights to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular press. From now on the government kept regular track of the vernacular newspapers published in different provinces. When a report was judged as seditious, the newspaper was warned, and if the warning was ignored, the press was liable to be seized and the printing machinery confiscated. (9.1) Which Act was the inspiration of the 'Vernacular Press Act' ? (9.2) Why was the colonial government not in favour of freedom of the press ? (9.3) Which two powers were given by the Vernacular Press Act to the colonial government ?

   

   Medha Ma’am

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   Model answer · Vernacular Press Act, censorship

   1. 1.(9.1) The Vernacular Press Act took its inspiration from the Irish Press Laws. The Act was passed in 1878 and was modelled on the Irish Press Laws.1 mark
   2. 2.(9.2) The colonial government did not favour freedom of the press because, after the revolt of 1857, vernacular newspapers became assertively nationalist. They openly supported nationalism and criticised colonial rule. Enraged Englishmen demanded a clamp down on the 'native' press, so the government began debating measures of stringent control.1 mark
   3. 3.(9.3) First, the Vernacular Press Act gave the government extensive rights to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular press. From then on, the government kept regular track of the vernacular newspapers published in different provinces.1 mark
   4. 4.Second, the government gained the power to act against seditious reports. When a report was judged as seditious, the newspaper was warned. If the warning was ignored, the press was liable to be seized and the printing machinery confiscated.1 mark

   • For 9.2, write that "vernacular newspapers became assertively nationalist".
   • For 9.3, write both powers: the right "to censor reports and editorials", and the power to warn, seize the press and confiscate the printing machinery.

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

2. Q2Long answer5 marksAsked: 2025

   (a) "Not everyone welcomed the printed book." Explain the statement with examples from sixteenth century Europe. OR (b) "By the seventeenth century, the flourishing of urban culture in China also led to diversity in the use of printing." Explain the statement with examples.

   

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   Model answer · fears about printed books, Europe

   1. 1.(a) Religious authorities, monarchs and many writers and artists feared that without control over print, rebellious and irreligious ideas would spread and 'valuable' literature would lose its authority. OR (b) By the seventeenth century print in China was no longer used only by scholar-officials for the civil service examinations.1 mark
   2. 2.Erasmus, a Latin scholar and Catholic reformer, was deeply anxious about print: he wrote that books were like a swarm of flies, most of them ignorant, stupid and slanderous. OR Merchants used print in daily life to collect trade information.1 mark
   3. 3.Luther's Ninety Five Theses (1517) were printed and widely read; this split the Church and began the Protestant Reformation. OR Reading became a leisure activity, and new readers preferred fiction, poetry, autobiographies, anthologies of literary masterpieces and romantic plays.1 mark
   4. 4.Menocchio, a sixteenth-century Italian miller, read books and reinterpreted the Bible; the Church's Inquisition had him executed. OR Rich women began to read, and many published their poetry and plays; wives of scholar-officials published their works and courtesans wrote about their lives.1 mark
   5. 5.The Roman Church imposed severe controls on publishers and booksellers and kept an Index of Prohibited Books from 1558. OR In the late nineteenth century Western printing presses were imported, and Shanghai became the hub of the new print culture, serving Western-style schools.1 mark

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

3. Q3Long answer5 marksAsked: 2025

   (a) Explain the measures taken by the colonial government to censor the press in India and analyse their effects on the nationalist movement. OR (b) How did the printing press contribute to the emergence of new genres of writing in the 18th century ? Explain.

   

   Medha Ma’am

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   Model answer · Press censorship, nationalism

   1. 1.(a) After 1857 the government's attitude to the press changed; as vernacular papers became nationalist, the Vernacular Press Act of 1878, modelled on the Irish Press Laws, gave it wide powers to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular press. OR (b) In the early eighteenth century the periodical press developed, combining news of current affairs, wars and trade with entertainment.1 mark
   2. 2.The government kept regular track of vernacular newspapers; a paper whose report was judged seditious was warned, and if it ignored the warning its press could be seized and the machinery confiscated. OR Pedlars sold cheap books from village to village — England's penny chapbooks and France's Bibliothèque Bleue — along with almanacs, ballads and folktales.1 mark
   3. 3.When Bal Gangadhar Tilak wrote sympathetically in Kesari (1907) about the deported Punjab revolutionaries, he was imprisoned in 1908. OR The ideas of scientists such as Newton reached common readers, and the writings of thinkers such as Thomas Paine, Voltaire and Rousseau were printed and widely read.1 mark
   4. 4.Despite the repression, nationalist newspapers grew in number in all parts of India; they reported colonial misrule and encouraged nationalist activities. OR New forms such as the novel appeared, along with religious texts and political pamphlets, printed in large numbers.1 mark
   5. 5.Tilak's arrest provoked protests all over India; repression only deepened resentment and strengthened the national movement. OR These forms widened the reading public and spread a culture of reason and of criticism of tradition and despotism, which helped prepare the ground for the French Revolution.1 mark

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

4. Q4Long answer5 marksAsked: 2025

   (a) Analyse the contribution of Johann Gutenberg in the development of the printing press. OR (b) Analyse the development journey of print culture in India.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (a) Gutenberg, a merchant's son, grew up on a large agricultural estate seeing wine and olive presses, and as a master goldsmith learnt to make lead moulds for trinkets. OR (b) Portuguese missionaries brought the first…

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5. Q5Long answer5 marksAsked: 2025

   (a) Analyse the changes in Indian printing by the end of the 19th century. OR (b) Analyze the significant changes in printing technology during 19th century in the world.

   How the model answer begins

   1. By the end of the nineteenth century, a new visual culture was taking shape in Indian printing. With the setting up of an increasing number of printing presses, visual images could be easily reproduced in multiple…

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6. Q6Long answer5 marksAsked: 2025

   (a) "How did easy access to books develop a new culture of reading during the 18th century ?" Analyse. OR (b) How did printing technology affect the lives of Indian women ? Analyse.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (a) Churches set up schools in villages, and by the end of the eighteenth century literacy in parts of Europe reached 60–80 per cent, creating a 'reading mania'. OR (b) From the mid-nineteenth century liberal husbands…

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7. Q7Long answer5 marksAsked: 2025

   (a) Explain the features of manuscript found in India before the advent of printing culture. OR (b) How did the advent of print culture affect the poor people in India ? Explain.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (a) India had a rich tradition of handwritten manuscripts in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and many vernacular languages. OR (b) Very cheap small books were brought to markets in nineteenth-century Madras towns and sold at…

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8. Q8Case-based4 marksAsked: 2026

   Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow : Print and Censorship ... (9.1) Which Act was the inspiration of the 'Vernacular Press Act' ? (9.2) Why was the colonial government not in favour of freedom of the press ? (9.3) Which two powers were given by the Vernacular Press Act to the colonial government ?

   How the model answer begins

   1. 9.1 The Vernacular Press Act was inspired by the Irish Press Laws. The Act was passed in 1878 and was modelled on the Irish Press Laws.

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9. Q9Case-based4 marksAsked: 2025

   Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : Print Culture and the French Revolution Many historians have argued that print culture created the conditions within which French Revolution occurred. Some arguments have been usually put forward in this context. First : print popularised the ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers. Collectively, their writings provided a critical commentary on tradition, superstition and despotism. They argued for the rule of reason rather than custom, and demanded that everything be judged through the application of reason and rationality. They attacked the sacred authority of the Church and the despotic power of the state, thus eroding the legitimacy of a social order based on tradition. The writings of Voltaire and Rousseau were read widely; and those who read these books saw the world through new eyes, eyes that were questioning, critical and rational. Second : print created a new culture of dialogue and debate. All values, norms and institutions were re-evaluated and discussed by a public that had become aware of the power of reason, and recognised the need to question existing ideas and beliefs. Within this public culture, new ideas of social revolution came into being. (34.1) What impact did the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers have on society ? (34.2) How did print culture affect religion in France ? (34.3) How did print culture contribute to the social revolution in France ?

   How the model answer begins

   1. The ideas of Enlightenment thinkers provided a critical commentary on tradition, superstition and despotism. They argued for the rule of reason rather than custom, and demanded that everything be judged through the…

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10. Q10Case-based4 marksAsked: 2025

    34. Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : Pages of Gutenberg's Bible, the first printed book in Europe. Gutenberg printed about 180 copies, of which no more than 50 have survived. Look at these pages of Gutenberg's Bible carefully. They were not just products of new technology. The text was printed in the new Gutenberg press with metal type, but the borders were carefully designed, painted and illuminated by hand by artists. No two copies were the same. Every page of each copy was different. Even when two copies look similar, a careful comparison will reveal differences. Elites everywhere preferred this lack of uniformity: what they possessed then could be claimed as unique, for no one else owned a copy that was exactly the same. In the text you will notice the use of colour within the letters in various places. This had two functions : it added colour to the page, and highlighted all the holy words to emphasise their significance. But the colour on every page of the text was added by hand. Gutenberg printed the text in black, leaving spaces where the colour could be filled in later. (34.1) Mention the contribution of Gutenberg in the field of printing. (34.2) How were the books borders painted and illuminated ? (34.3) Describe any two benefits of colouring in the letters.

    How the model answer begins

    1. Gutenberg developed metal types for each of the 26 characters of the Roman alphabet and devised a way of moving them around so as to compose different words of the text. This came to be known as the moveable type…

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11. Q11Case-based4 marksAsked: 2024

    Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that follow : Printed Words This is how Mercier describes the impact of the printed word, and the power of reading in one of his books : ‘Anyone who had seen me reading would have compared me to a man dying of thirst who was gulping down some fresh, pure water.... Lighting my lamp with extraordinary caution, I threw myself hungrily into the reading. An easy eloquence, effortless and animated, carried me from one page to the next without my noticing it. A clock struck off the hours in the silence of the shadows, and I heard nothing. My lamp began to run out of oil and produced only a pale light, but still I read on. I could not even take out time to raise the wick for fear of interrupting my pleasure. How those new ideas rushed into my brain! How my intelligence adopted them!’ 34.1 How does the passage reflect the immersive nature of reading of Mercier? 34.2 Why did Mercier describe himself as a virtual writer? 34.3 How did reading influence Mercier’s intellectual capacity and his engagement with new concepts ? Explain in any two points.

    How the model answer begins

    1. 34.1 The passage shows that Mercier was completely lost in reading. For him, reading was like fresh, pure water to a man dying of thirst, and he threw himself hungrily into it.

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12. Q12Case-based4 marksAsked: 2025

    Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : Print and Censorship [passage] (34.1) Explain the meaning of 'censor'. (34.2) Why did the colonial administration keep an eye on books and newspapers ? (34.3) Why did Gandhiji start a nationwide Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act ? Explain any two reasons.

    How the model answer begins

    1. (34.1) To censor means to examine printed matter, such as books, newspapers, reports and editorials, before it is released, and to restrict or remove any part the government does not approve of. Censorship is the…

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13. Q13Case-based4 marksAsked: 2025

    Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : [passage] (35.1) [passage question, English not printed before page break] (35.2) [passage question, English not printed before page break] (35.3) [passage question, English not printed before page break]

    How the model answer begins

    1. 35.1 The ideas of Enlightenment thinkers made people think critically about society. The writings of enlightened thinkers provided a critical commentary on tradition, superstition and despotism, a system of governance…

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14. Q14Case-based4 marksAsked: 2025

    Read the source given below and answer the questions that follow : New Forms of Publication By the end of the nineteenth century, a new visual culture was taking shape. With the setting up of an increasing number of printing presses, visual images could be easily reproduced in multiple copies. Painters like Raja Ravi Varma produced images for mass circulation. Poor wood engravers who made woodblocks set up shop near the letterpresses, and were employed by print shops. Cheap prints and calendars, easily available in the bazaar, could be bought even by the poor to decorate the walls of their homes or places of work. These prints began shaping popular ideas about modernity and tradition, religion and politics, and society and culture. By the 1870s, caricatures and cartoons were being published in journals and newspapers, commenting on social and political issues. Some caricatures ridiculed the educated Indians' fascination with Western tastes and clothes, while others expressed the fear of social change. There were imperial caricatures lampooning nationalists, as well as nationalist cartoons criticising imperial rule. 34.1 How did the development of printing technology impact visual culture ? 34.2 How did Raja Ravi Varma contribute to the mass circulation of art in India ? 34.3 How did visual culture shape the memory of the 19th century social landscape ? Explain.

    How the model answer begins

    1. The development of printing technology led to the setting up of an increasing number of printing presses, which allowed visual images to be easily reproduced in multiple copies. This made possible the development of a…

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15. Q15Case-based4 marksAsked: 2025

    Read the source given below and answer the questions that follow : [passage] 35.1 How did the development of printing technology impact visual culture ? 1 35.2 How did Raja Ravi Varma contribute to the mass circulation of art in India ? 1 35.3 How did visual culture shape the memory of the 19th century social landscape ? Explain. 2

    How the model answer begins

    1. The development of printing technology enabled visual images to be easily reproduced in multiple copies, as an increasing number of printing presses were set up. This allowed cheap prints and calendars to be easily…

    The full answer from Medha Ma’am →
16. Q16Case-based4 marksAsked: 2024

    Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that follow : Printed Words [passage] 36.1 How does the passage reflect the immersive nature of reading of Mercier ? 1 36.2 Why did Mercier describe himself as a virtual writer ? 1 36.3 How did reading influence Mercier's intellectual capacity and his engagement with new concepts ? Explain in any two points. 2

    How the model answer begins

    1. 36.1 The passage shows that reading completely absorbed Mercier. Watching him read was like watching a man dying of thirst gulping down some fresh, pure water. Outside distractions did not bother him: a clock struck the…

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17. Q17Case-based4 marksAsked: 2024

    Read the following source and answer the questions that follow: Printing and Censorship The power of the printed word is often gauged by the attempts of the government to control it. The colonial administration kept a close watch on all books and journals published in India and passed many laws to control the press.

18. Q18Case-based4 marksAsked: 2024

    Read the following source and answer the questions that follow : [passage] (35.1) What method did the colonial government employ to keep track of Indian newspapers ? 1 (35.2) How did the colonial government's laws affect the press ? 1 (35.3) Analyse the impact of 'Sedition Committee' on Newspapers. 2

19. Q19Case-based4 marksAsked: 2024

    34. Read the following source and answer the questions that follow : Why Newspapers ? 'Krishnaji Trimbuck Ranade inhabitant of Poona intends to publish a Newspaper in the Marathi Language with a view of affording useful information on every topic of local interest. It will be open for free discussion on subjects of general utility, scientific investigation and the speculations connected with the antiquities, statistics, curiosities, history and geography of the country and of the Deccan especially... the patronage and support of all interested in the diffusion of knowledge and welfare of the people is earnestly solicited.' Bombay Telegraph and Courier, 6 January, 1849 'The task of the native newspapers and political associations is identical to the role of the Opposition in the House of Commons in Parliament in England. That is of critically examining government policy to suggest improvements, by removing those parts that will not be to the benefit of the people, and also by ensuring speedy implementation. These associations ought to carefully study the particular issues, gather diverse relevant information on the nation as well as on what are the possible and desirable improvements, and this will surely earn it considerable influence.' Native Opinion, 3 April, 1870 (34.1) Analyse the primary objective proposed by Ranade for publishing Marathi Language newspaper. (34.2) Why did the Bombay Telegraph emphasize the role of newspaper in promoting welfare of Deccan region ? (34.3) What were the key responsibilities attributed to native newspapers ? Mention any two.

    How the model answer begins

    1. Ranade's primary objective for publishing a Marathi language newspaper was to provide useful information on every topic of local interest. It was intended to be open for free discussion on subjects of general utility,…

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20. Q20Case-based4 marksAsked: 2024

    Read the following source and answer the questions that follow : Why Newspapers ? [passage] (35.1) Analyse the primary objective proposed by Ranade for publishing Marathi Language newspaper. 1 (35.2) Why did the Bombay Telegraph emphasize the role of newspaper in promoting welfare of Deccan region ? 1 (35.3) What were the key responsibilities attributed to native newspapers ? Mention any two. 2

    How the model answer begins

    1. Ranade's primary objective in proposing to publish a Marathi Language newspaper was to educate the public and awaken political consciousness among them. He intended to afford useful information on every topic of local…

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19 more questions of this chapter, each with its model answer, in the AskMedha app.

Objective questions with the board’s key (10)

1. 1. CBSE 2026

   Arrange the following historical events in chronological order and choose the correct option : I. Publication of Bengal Gazette II. Publication of Diamond Sutra III. Publication of Bible by Johann Gutenberg IV. Return of Marco Polo to Italy from China

   • (A) I, II, III, IV
   • (B) IV, III, II, I
   • (C) II, IV, I, III
   • (D) II, IV, III, I ✓

   Answer: (D)

2. 2. CBSE 2026

   Arrange the following events of 'print culture' in chronological order and choose the correct option : I. Publication of 'Sambad Kaumudi' II. Publication of weekly magazine 'Bengal Gazette' III. 'Vernacular Press Act' was implemented IV. The first printed edition of the 'Ramcharitmanas'

   • (A) III, I, IV, II
   • (B) III, I, II, IV
   • (C) II, IV, III, I
   • (D) II, IV, I, III ✓

   Answer: (D)

3. 3. CBSE 2026

   Identify the given picture and choose the correct option : (Note: The following question is for the Visually Impaired Candidates only in lieu of Q. No. 6. Which one of the following is the oldest printed book in Japan? (A) Diamond Sutra (B) Tripitaka Koreana (C) Japanese Bible (D) Ukiyo)

   • (A) Korean Jikji
   • (B) Diamond Sutra ✓
   • (C) Tripitaka Koreana
   • (D) Chinese script

   Answer: (B)

4. 4. CBSE 2026

   Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched ? Column A (Writer) Column B (Contribution)

   • (A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak - Gulamgiri
   • (B) Jyotiba Phule - Amar Jiban
   • (C) Raja Rammohan Roy - Sambad Kaumudi ✓
   • (D) Tarabai Shinde - Istri Dharam Vichar

   Answer: (C)

5. 5. CBSE 2026

   A famous painting is shown in the given picture. Select the painter of this artwork from the following options : Note : The following question is for Visually Impaired Candidates only in lieu of question number 3. 'Khalsa Tract Society' was mainly operated from which of the following regions? (A) Gujarat (B) Bengal (C) Maharashtra (D) Punjab

   • (A) Satyendranath Bishi
   • (B) Abanindranath Tagore
   • (C) Rabindranath Tagore
   • (D) Raja Ravi Varma ✓

   Answer: (D)

6. 6. CBSE 2026

   Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched ?

   • (A) Sudarshan Chakra - Anandmath
   • (B) Kashi Baba - Sacchi Kavitayen
   • (C) Bal Gangadhar Tilak - Kesari ✓
   • (D) Pandita Ramabai - Amar Jiban

   Answer: (C)

7. 7. CBSE 2026

   Note : The following question is for the Visually Impaired Candidates only in lieu of question number 1. From which of the following regions did the ‘Khalsa Tract Society’ primarily operate ?

   • (A) Gujarat
   • (B) Bengal
   • (C) Maharashtra
   • (D) Punjab ✓

   Answer: (D)

8. 8. CBSE 2026

   'Mudran Sanskriti' (Print Culture) events are to be arranged in chronological order and the correct option is to be selected: I. Publication of 'Samvad Kaumudi' II. Publication of weekly magazine 'Bengal Gazette' III. 'Vernacular Press Act' was implemented IV. First printed edition of 'Ramcharitmanas' Options:

   • (A) III, I, IV, II
   • (B) III, I, II, IV
   • (C) II, IV, III, I
   • (D) II, IV, I, III ✓

   Answer: (D)

9. 9. CBSE 2026

   The given painting is from the sixteenth century from Mughal India. Identify the work shown in this painting from the following options : Note : The following question is for the visually impaired candidates only in lieu of Q. No. 3. Which one of the following areas in Calcutta was devoted to the printing of popular books in the 19th century? (A) Baranagar (B) Jadavpur (C) Alipore (D) Batala

   • (A) Minting of coins
   • (B) Metal crafting
   • (C) Pottery making
   • (D) Book making ✓

   Answer: (D)

10. 10. CBSE 2025

    Read the following characteristics of 'Jikji' of Korea carefully and choose the correct option : Characteristics : I. It is one of the oldest existing printed books in the world. II. It contains the main beliefs of Christianity. III. Its second volume is available in the National Library of France. IV. It was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2001.

    • (A) Only I, II and III are correct.
    • (B) Only II, III and IV are correct.
    • (C) Only I, III and IV are correct. ✓
    • (D) Only I, II and IV are correct.

    Answer: (C)

Questions parents and students ask

How many marks does "Print Culture and the Modern World" carry in CBSE Class 10 Social Science?

In the CBSE papers of 2023–2026, this chapter carried about 5 marks and about 2 questions a year; by marks it ranks 5 in Social Science.

Which are the most important (VVI) questions of "Print Culture and the Modern World"?

The 20 questions above are from the board’s real papers, each with the years it was asked; the most-asked come first with their full model answers. All 39 written questions of this chapter, with answers, are in the AskMedha app.

Do the answers follow the board’s marking scheme?

Yes. CBSE publishes its marking schemes; every model answer here is written point by point to the marks the board’s own scheme gives, and checked by a second, independent model.