Q.1: Which was the first newspaper started by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in 1920?
a) Bahishkrit Bharat
b) Janata
c) Mooknayak
d) Prabuddha Bharat
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: Mooknayak (The Leader of the Dumb) was launched on January 31, 1920, with the help of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur.
Q.2: What was the primary language used in most of Ambedkar’s newspapers?
a) English
b) Hindi
c) Marathi
d) Sanskrit
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: Since his primary base of social reform was in Maharashtra, he used Marathi to reach the masses directly.
Q.3: In which newspaper did Ambedkar use the verses of Saint Tukaram on the masthead?
a) Samata
b) Mooknayak
c) Janata
d) Prabuddha Bharat
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: He used Tukaram’s abhangs to illustrate the pain of the oppressed who had no voice in society.
Q.4: Why was Dr. Ambedkar not the official ‘Editor’ of Mooknayak despite being its founder?
a) He was studying in London
b) He was a Professor at Sydenham College
c) He lacked the funds
d) He was not interested in editing
Ans: b)
Q.5: Which newspaper was launched specifically during the Mahad Satyagraha period in 1927?
a) Mooknayak
b) Bahishkrit Bharat
c) Samata
d) Janata
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Bahishkrit Bharat (Excluded India) was started on April 3, 1927, to defend the actions taken during the Mahad Satyagraha.
Q.6: The editorial policy of ‘Bahishkrit Bharat’ was primarily focused on:
a) Supporting the British Raj
b) Reforming the caste system from within
c) Asserting the rights of the ‘Excluded’ and countering orthodox critics
d) Promoting industrialization
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: It acted as a fiery response to the orthodox press that criticized the untouchables for using public water tanks.
Q.7: Which newspaper was the mouthpiece of the ‘Samaj Samata Sangh’?
a) Mooknayak
b) Janata
c) Samata
d) Prabuddha Bharat
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: Samata (Equality) was started in 1928 to promote social equality and the removal of the caste-gender nexus.
Q.8: Which of Ambedkar’s journals had the longest continuous run?
a) Mooknayak
b) Bahishkrit Bharat
c) Janata
d) Samata
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: Janata (The People) was published for 26 years (1930–1956) before being renamed.
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Q.9: In 1956, the newspaper ‘Janata’ was renamed as:
a) Dalit Bharat
b) Prabuddha Bharat
c) Republican India
d) Nav Bharat
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: After Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism, the paper was renamed Prabuddha Bharat (Enlightened India).
Q.10: What was the main financial problem faced by Ambedkar in running his newspapers?
a) High government taxes
b) Lack of advertisements from mainstream businesses
c) Lack of readers
d) High cost of paper
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Mainstream businesses (mostly owned by upper castes) refused to advertise in papers that challenged the caste hierarchy, leading to constant financial crises.
Q.11: Dr. Ambedkar criticized the mainstream ‘Nationalist’ press of his time for:
a) Being too radical
b) Ignoring the issues of 60 million untouchables
c) Supporting the British
d) High subscription rates
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: He argued that the press was “partisan” and only represented the interests of the upper-caste Hindus.
Q.12: The newspaper ‘Mooknayak’ was financially supported by which royal?
a) Sayajirao Gaekwad III
b) Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj
c) Maharaja of Mysore
d) Nizam of Hyderabad
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur donated ₹2,500 to help Ambedkar start the paper.
Q.13: Which saint’s quotes were used on the masthead of ‘Bahishkrit Bharat’?
a) Sant Tukaram
b) Sant Dnyaneshwar
c) Sant Chokhamela
d) Sant Eknath
Ans: d)
Imp Facts: He used the verses of Sant Eknath to promote the idea of spiritual and social equality.
Q.14: In which journal did Ambedkar extensively document the burning of the ‘Manusmriti’?
a) Mooknayak
b) Bahishkrit Bharat
c) Samata
d) Janata
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Bahishkrit Bharat provided detailed justifications for why the text was burned on December 25, 1927.
Q.15: What was the central theme of ‘Prabuddha Bharat’?
a) Economic planning
b) Political independence
c) Navayana Buddhism and a casteless society
d) Labor union strikes
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: It focused on the “Enlightenment” of India through the teachings of the Buddha.
Q.16: Ambedkar famously said, “A movement without a newspaper is like a…”
a) Tree without roots
b) Bird without wings
c) Ship without a sail
d) Lamp without oil
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: He believed journalism was essential for mobilizing and educating his followers.
Q.17: Which issue was NOT typically raised in Ambedkar’s newspapers?
a) Temple entry rights
b) Right to education for Dalits
c) Glorification of the ancient Varna system
d) Rights of women in property
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: His papers were dedicated to the “Annihilation of Caste,” not its glorification.
Q.18: ‘Janata’ was converted from a fortnightly into a weekly in which year?
a) 1930
b) 1932
c) 1947
d) 1950
Ans: a)
Imp Facts: It started as a weekly on November 24, 1930.
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Q.19: Which paper served as the platform for Ambedkar’s views during the Round Table Conferences?
a) Mooknayak
b) Samata
c) Janata
d) Prabuddha Bharat
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: Janata was his primary vehicle for communicating his political demands for separate electorates during the 1930s.
Q.20: Who was the first official editor of Mooknayak?
a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
b) Pandurang Nandram Bhatkar
c) P.N. Rajbhoj
d) Devrao Naik
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Bhatkar was the first editor, as Ambedkar held a government position at the time.
Q.21: The editorial ‘Hindustan belongs to whom?’ was a famous piece published in:
a) Mooknayak
b) Bahishkrit Bharat
c) Janata
d) Samata
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: In Bahishkrit Bharat, Ambedkar argued that the country belonged to all its citizens, not just the majority community.
Q.22: What was the slogan of Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha, often promoted in his papers?
a) Truth alone triumphs
b) Educate, Agitate, Organize
c) Freedom is my birthright
d) Jai Bhim
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: This became the guiding principle for the entire Dalit movement and its journalism.
Q.23: Which newspaper faced a “Vicious Silence” from the elite press of the Bombay Presidency?
a) The Times of India
b) Mooknayak
c) The Kesari
d) The Bombay Chronicle
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Despite sending copies to other editors, many prominent papers refused to even acknowledge the existence of Mooknayak.
Q.24: Ambedkar’s journalism primarily targeted which audience?
a) The British Elite
b) The Congress Party
c) The Untouchables and the Labor Class
d) The Landlords
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: He wanted to create political consciousness among the “Depressed Classes.”
Q.25: Which journal emphasized that “Political power is the master key” to social progress?
a) Mooknayak
b) Janata
c) Prabuddha Bharat
d) Bahishkrit Bharat
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Through Janata, he focused heavily on the need for political representation and the “One Man, One Vote” principle.
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