Chapter 2 – Reform: Characteristics and Observations

Reform movements are an important topic in WBBSE Class 10 History. These movements played a major role in shaping modern Indian society by removing social evils and promoting equality. Here, you will find WBBSE Class 10 History Reform questions and answers along with key concepts, characteristics, and important questions to help you prepare for the Madhyamik examination.

Content Structure

1. Multiple choice questions and answers (MCQs)
2. Very short-type questions and answers
- 2A. Fill in the blanks
- 2B. True or false
- 2C. Very short-type questions and answers
3. Short-type questions and answers
4. Analytical questions and answers
5. Explanatory questions and answers

1. Multiple choice questions and answers (MCQs) [1 mark each]

1. Which was the first newspaper published in India?
a) Samachar Darpan
b) Bengal Gazette
c) Hindoo Patriot
d) Amrita Bazar Patrika

Ans: b) Bengal Gazette

2. In which year was Bamabodhini Patrika first published?
a) 1859
b) 1863
c) 1873
d) 1878

Ans: b) 1863

3. Who was the editor of Bengal Gazette?
a) Raja Rammohan Roy
b) James Augustus Hickey
c) Harish Chandra Mukherjee
d) Sisirkumar Ghosh

Ans: b) James Augustus Hickey

4. Who translated Nil Darpan into English?
a) James Hickey
b) Raja Rammohan Roy
c) Reverend James Long
d) Keshab Chandra Sen

Ans: c) Reverend James Long

5. Which periodical focused mainly on women’s upliftment?
a) Hindoo Patriot
b) Somprakash
c) Bamabodhini Patrika
d) Digdarshan

Ans: c) Bamabodhini Patrika

6. Who composed Nil Darpan?
a) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
b) Dinabandhu Mitra
c) Kaliprasanna Singha
d) Harinath Majumdar

Ans: b) Dinabandhu Mitra

7. Which newspaper exposed the oppression of indigo planters?
a) Bengal Gazette
b) Hindoo Patriot
c) Sambad Kaumudi
d) Digdarshan

Ans: b) Hindoo Patriot

8. Who was the editor of Hindoo Patriot?
a) Keshab Chandra Sen
b) Harish Chandra Mukherjee
c) Dinabandhu Mitra
d) Kaliprasanna Singha

Ans: b) Harish Chandra Mukherjee

9. Nil Darpan is related to which movement?
a) Swadeshi Movement
b) Indigo Revolt
c) Non-Cooperation Movement
d) Revolt of 1857

Ans: b) Indigo Revolt

10. Who was the patron of Sambad Kaumudi?
a) Keshab Chandra Sen
b) Raja Rammohan Roy
c) Bankim Chandra
d) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Ans: b) Raja Rammohan Roy

11. Who wrote Hutom Pyanchar Naksha?
a) Dinabandhu Mitra
b) Kaliprasanna Singha
c) Harinath Majumdar
d) Umesh Chandra Dutta

Ans: b) Kaliprasanna Singha

12. What does Hutom Pyanchar Naksha depict?
a) Rural life
b) Political events
c) Babu culture of Calcutta
d) Religious reforms

Ans: c) Babu culture of Calcutta

13. Who was associated with Grambarta Prakashika?
a) Harish Chandra Mukherjee
b) Harinath Majumdar
c) Sisirkumar Ghosh
d) Dwarkanath Vidyabhusan

Ans: b) Harinath Majumdar

14. In which year was Grambarta Prakashika first published?
a) 1859
b) 1863
c) 1872
d) 1878

Ans: b) 1863

15. In which year was the Vernacular Press Act passed?
a) 1857
b) 1861
c) 1878
d) 1885

Ans: c) 1878

16. By what name was Harinath Majumdar popularly known?
a) Vidyasagar
b) Kangal Harinath
c) Hutom
d) Deshbandhu

Ans: b) Kangal Harinath

17. Who edited Somprakash?
a) Dwarkanath Vidyabhusan
b) Sisirkumar Ghosh
c) Harinath Majumdar
d) Dinabandhu Mitra

Ans: a) Dwarkanath Vidyabhusan

18. Which was a publication of the Serampore Missionaries?
a) Sambad Kaumudi
b) Digdarshan
c) Hindoo Patriot
d) Amrita Bazar Patrika

Ans: b) Digdarshan

19. Which Act was passed to control the vernacular press?
a) Regulating Act
b) Vernacular Press Act
c) Charter Act
d) Pitt’s India Act

Ans: b) Vernacular Press Act

20. Which paper reflected rural life and problems?
a) Hindoo Patriot
b) Grambarta Prakashika
c) Bengal Gazette
d) Digdarshan

Ans: b) Grambarta Prakashika

2. Very short-type questions and answers

2A. Fill in the blanks [1 mark each]

1. The first newspaper of India was ‘Samachar Darpan’. (False)
2. ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ was published by Harinath Majumdar. (True)
3. ‘Hutom Pyanchar Naksha’ is a compilation of satirical prose by Kaliprasanna Singha. (True)
4. ‘Bamabodhini Patrika’ was first published in 1873. (False)
5. The chief editor of ‘Hindoo Patriot’ was Keshab Chandra Sen. (False)
6. ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ was first published in 1873. (False)
7. The editor of Somprakash was Dwarkanath Vidyabhusan. (True)

2B. True or false [1 mark each]

1. A vivid picture of contemporary society in its pages in a satirical light was reflected in _____________. (Hutom Pyanchar Naksha)
2. The editor of ‘Samachar Chandrika’ was _______________. (Bhabanicharan Bandyopadhyay)
3. ‘Hutom Pyanchar Naksha’ portrays the picture of the ______________ century ‘Babu’ culture in Calcutta. (19th century)
4. ‘Sambad Kaumudi’ was published under the patronage of ________________. (Raja Rammohan Roy)
5. James Long translated into English the Bengali drama ______________. (Nil Darpan)
6. ‘Bamabodhini Patrika’ played a vital role in bringing about the upliftment of ____________________. (women)
7. ‘Digdarshan’ was published by ______________. (Serampore Missionaries)

2C. Very short-type questions and answers [1 mark each]

1. Name one English weekly which exposed the oppression of indigo planters.
Ans: Hindoo Patriot was an English weekly that exposed the oppression of indigo planters.

2. Who composed ‘Hutom Pyanchar Naksha’?
Ans: Hutom Pyanchar Naksha was composed by Kaliprasanna Singha.

3. Name one Bengali periodical of colonial Bengal with a strong emphasis on women’s issue.
Ans: Bamabodhini Patrika was a Bengali periodical focusing on women’s issues.

4. Name one satirical prose written by Kaliprasanna Singha.
Ans: Hutom Pyanchar Naksha is a famous satirical prose written by Kaliprasanna Singha.

5. Who was the editor of ‘Bengal Gazette’?
Ans: James Augustus Hickey was the editor of Bengal Gazette.

6. Which was the first Bengali literary work that portrayed a satirical picture of the society?
Ans: Hutom Pyanchar Naksha was the first Bengali literary work to portray a satirical picture of society.

7. Who composed ‘Nil Darpan’?
Ans: Nil Darpan was composed by Dinabandhu Mitra.

8. Who was the editor of ‘Hindoo Patriot’?
Ans: Harish Chandra Mukherjee was the editor of Hindoo Patriot.

9. In which year was ‘Bamabodhini Patrika’ first published?
Ans: Bamabodhini Patrika was first published in 1863.

10. Who was the editor of ‘Amrita Bazar Patrika’?
Ans: Sisirkumar Ghosh was the editor of Amrita Bazar Patrika.

11. Who was Harish Chandra Mukhopadhyay?
Ans: Harish Chandra Mukhopadhyay was a noted journalist and editor of Hindoo Patriot who opposed British policies.

12. When was the National Theatre established in Kolkata?
Ans: The National Theatre was established in Kolkata in 1872.

13. Which was the first newspaper published from Kolkata?
Ans: Bengal Gazette was the first newspaper published from Kolkata.

14. Who translated ‘Nil Darpan’ into English?
Ans: Nil Darpan was translated into English by Reverend James Long.

15. When and against whom did the Indigo Rebellion break out?
Ans: The Indigo Rebellion broke out in 1859–60 against the European indigo planters.

3. Short-type questions and answers [2 marks each]

1. When was Bengal Gazette published and by whom?
Ans: Bengal Gazette was published in 1780 by James Augustus Hickey. It was the first English newspaper in India and played an important role in the early growth of journalism.

2. What was the reaction on the part of the English when ‘Nil Darpan’ was published in English?
Ans: The English reacted strongly against the English publication of Nil Darpan as it exposed the oppression of indigo planters. Reverend James Long, who translated it, was fined and imprisoned for defamation, showing official displeasure.

3. What were the main features of the weekly paper ‘Hindoo Patriot’?
Ans: Hindoo Patriot was a nationalist weekly that criticized British policies and administrative injustice. It supported causes like the Indigo Revolt and helped in spreading political awareness among Indians.

4. What was discussed in ‘Grambarta Prakashika’?
Ans: Grambarta Prakashika discussed various aspects of rural life, including poverty, oppression by zamindars and indigo planters, and social evils. It aimed to create awareness and promote social reform.

5. How was Babu culture of Calcutta exposed by ‘Huutom Pyanchar Naksha’?
Ans: Huutom Pyanchar Naksha exposed the Babu culture of Calcutta through sharp satire. It showed their hypocrisy, blind imitation of Western habits, extravagance, and moral decline in urban society.

6. How significant was Harinath Majumdar as a journalist of the rural society?
Ans: Harinath Majumdar was highly significant as he focused on rural issues through his journal Grambarta Prakashika. He exposed the exploitation of peasants and gave a voice to the neglected rural population.

4. Analytical Questions and answers [4 marks each]

1. Write a short note on ‘Grambarta Prakashika’.
Ans: Grambarta Prakashika was a Bengali weekly newspaper founded by Kangal Harinath in 1863. It mainly focused on the life and problems of rural Bengal. The paper highlighted social evils, poverty, and exploitation in villages. It also raised its voice against the oppression of indigo planters and zamindars. Through its writings, it tried to bring social awareness and reform. Thus, it was an important journal reflecting rural life and issues.

2. What is the image of society as portrayed by Nil Darpan?
Ans: Nil Darpan portrays the miserable condition of indigo cultivators in Bengal. It shows how European indigo planters exploited and oppressed the peasants. The play depicts cruelty, forced cultivation, and injustice faced by farmers. It also highlights the helplessness of the rural people under colonial rule thus, it presents a tragic and realistic image of contemporary rural society.

3. Write a short note on Umesh Chandra Dutta.
Ans: Umesh Chandra Dutta was a noted educationist, social reformer, and writer of 19th-century Bengal. He was associated with the Brahmo Samaj and worked for the spread of education. He contributed to the development of modern education and wrote on various social issues. He also edited journals and encouraged intellectual discussions through his work, he helped in spreading social awareness and reformist ideas. Thus, he played an important role in the Bengal Renaissance.

4. What was the role of ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ as an influential journal?
Ans: Grambarta Prakashika was an influential journal of 19th-century Bengal edited by Kangal Harinath. It played an important role in highlighting the problems of rural society. The journal exposed the oppression of peasants by zamindars, moneylenders, and indigo planters. It created awareness among the common people and protested against injustice and exploitation. It also encouraged social reform and gave voice to the neglected rural masses. Thus, it became a powerful medium of public opinion.

5. Who was the author of ‘Hutom Pyanchar Naksha’? What picture of the society does it reflect?
Ans: Hutom Pyanchar Naksha was written by Kaliprasanna Singha. It is a famous satirical work of 19th-century Bengal. The book reflects the social life of contemporary Calcutta. It exposes the hypocrisy, corruption, and moral decline of the urban elite. It also portrays the influence of Western culture and the changing lifestyle of people thus, it presents a realistic and critical picture of society.

6. Write a short note on Dinabandhu Mitra.
Ans: Dinabandhu Mitra was a famous playwright and social reformer of 19th-century Bengal. He is best known for his play Nil Darpan through his writings, he highlighted the sufferings of indigo cultivators and protested against their exploitation. His works created awareness and influenced public opinion thus, he played an important role in social reform and protest literature.

5. Explanatory questions and answers [8 marks each]

1. What was the role of ‘Hindoo Patriot’ in arousing national consciousness?
Ans: Hindoo Patriot was a leading newspaper of 19th-century Bengal that played a vital role in awakening national consciousness. Under the editorship of Harish Chandra Mukherjee, it strongly criticized British policies and exposed administrative injustice. The newspaper raised its voice against the oppression of indigo cultivators and supported their cause during the Indigo Revolt. It also protested against social and economic exploitation by the colonial government through bold articles and editorials, Hindoo Patriot encouraged people to think about their rights and duties. It helped in spreading political awareness and unity among Indians thus, the newspaper became an important instrument in the growth of nationalism in India.

2. What was the importance of Nil Darpan in the contemporary society?
Ans: Nil Darpan, written by Dinabandhu Mitra in 1860, was a powerful play that depicted the miserable condition of indigo cultivators under European planters. It exposed the cruelty, exploitation, and oppression faced by the peasants. The play created a strong public opinion against the indigo planters and brought the sufferings of the farmers to light. It also attracted the attention of the educated middle class and the British authorities. The translation of the play into English further spread its impact. Nil Darpan played an important role in the Indigo Revolt by inspiring protest against injustice. It also marked the beginning of social protest literature in Bengal. Thus, it had great importance in contemporary society as a voice against oppression.

3. What role did the ‘Bamabodhini Patrika’ play in bringing about the upliftment of women?
Ans: The Bamabodhini Patrika, published in the 19th century, played a significant role in the upliftment of women in Bengal. It was started in 1863 and aimed at spreading education and awareness among women. The journal focused on issues like women’s education, widow remarriage, and social reform. It tried to remove superstitions and harmful customs that oppressed women. The Patrika encouraged women to become educated and independent. It also highlighted the importance of moral values, domestic management, and health care. Through articles, essays, and discussions, it created awareness about the rights and dignity of women thus, Bamabodhini Patrika became an important medium for social reform and contributed greatly to improving the condition of women in society.

4. Write a short note on Kaliprasanna Singha.
Ans: Kaliprasanna Singha was a prominent social reformer, writer, and philanthropist of 19th-century Bengal. He was born in 1840 and was known for his contributions to literature and society. He is best known for his Bengali translation of the Mahabharata, which made the epic accessible to common people. He also wrote Hutom Pyanchar Naksha, a famous satirical work that depicted the social life of contemporary Calcutta. Kaliprasanna actively supported social reforms such as widow remarriage and opposed social evils. He also helped many poor people and supported literary activities thus, Kaliprasanna Singha played an important role in both literary development and social reform in Bengal.

5. Write a short note on Harinath Majumdar or Kangal Harinath.
Ans: Harinath Majumdar, popularly known as Kangal Harinath, was a well-known journalist, writer, and social reformer of 19th-century Bengal. He was born in 1833 and devoted his life to the welfare of rural society. He founded the newspaper Grambarta Prakashika, through which he highlighted the problems of the rural people. He raised his voice against the exploitation of peasants by landlords and indigo planters. Kangal Harinath was also a folk singer and composed many Baul songs that reflected social issues and spiritual ideas. His writings and songs aimed at reforming society and spreading awareness among common people thus, he played an important role in social reform and in giving voice to the rural masses.

6. What was the picture of the society portrayed by ‘Grambarta Prakashika’?
Ans: Grambarta Prakashika, founded by Kangal Harinath, presented a realistic picture of rural Bengal in the 19th century. It highlighted the poor condition of peasants and exposed the oppression by zamindars, moneylenders, and indigo planters. The newspaper depicted the social and economic hardships faced by villagers, including poverty, illiteracy, and exploitation. It also pointed out the corruption and injustice prevailing in rural administration. At the same time, it tried to create awareness among the people and encouraged social reform. It gave a voice to the voiceless rural population and brought their problems to public attention thus, Grambarta Prakashika portrayed a true and critical picture of contemporary rural society.