Q.1: Which influential English daily newspaper was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1938?
a) The Hindu
b) National Herald
c) The Statesman
d) Amrita Bazar Patrika
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Nehru started the National Herald on September 9, 1938, in Lucknow to champion the cause of India’s freedom struggle.
Q.2: In which city was the National Herald first published?
a) New Delhi
b) Allahabad
c) Lucknow
d) Bombay
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: Though Nehru hailed from Allahabad, Lucknow was chosen as the initial headquarters for the paper.
Q.3: What was the primary motto inscribed on the masthead of the National Herald?
a) Truth Alone Triumphs
b) Freedom is in Peril, Defend it with all your Might
c) Service Before Self
d) Towards a Socialistic Pattern
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: This motto reflected the paper’s commitment to protecting democratic values and fighting British colonial rule.
Q.4: Who was the first editor-in-chief of the National Herald?
a) Jawaharlal Nehru
b) K. Rama Rao
c) M. Chalapathi Rau
d) P.D. Tandon
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: K. Rama Rao was the first editor, known for his bold and fearless editorial style that often challenged the British authorities.
Q.5: Which long-serving editor of the National Herald was considered a close confidant of Nehru and edited the paper for over 30 years?
a) K. Rama Rao
b) M. Chalapathi Rau
c) Frank Moraes
d) Khushwant Singh
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: M. Chalapathi Rau (popularly known as MC) became the editor in 1946 and remained at the helm for decades, maintaining the “Nehruvian” editorial standard.
Q.6: What was Nehru’s official designation at the National Herald at the time of its founding?
a) Editor-in-Chief
b) Chairman of the Board of Directors
c) Managing Director
d) Chief Correspondent
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Nehru preferred to set the policy and vision as Chairman rather than managing the day-to-day editorial desk, though he wrote frequently for it.
Q.7: Why was the National Herald forced to shut down between 1942 and 1945?
a) Lack of funds
b) Internal conflicts among board members
c) Suppression by the British during the Quit India Movement
d) Nehru’s lack of interest
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: Like many nationalist papers, the National Herald was banned and its properties seized for supporting the “Quit India” call.
Q.8: Nehru often wrote articles under pseudonyms. Which famous pseudonym did he use to criticize his own “dictatorial” tendencies in The Modern Review?
a) Chanakya
b) Azad
c) Satyavadi
d) Bharat Putra
Ans: a)
Imp Facts: In 1937, Nehru wrote an article titled “The Rashtrapati” under the name ‘Chanakya’ to warn the public against re-electing him, fearing he might become too autocratic.
Q.9: Regarding editorial policy, what did Nehru believe was the duty of a newspaper toward the government?
a) To be a mouthpiece for the ruling party
b) To offer constructive criticism and maintain independence
c) To avoid all political news
d) To strictly follow government directives
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Nehru believed that even a government led by himself should be subject to the scrutiny of a free press.
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Q.10: Nehru played a key role in the passing of which Act in 1955 that benefited journalists?
a) The Vernacular Press Act
b) The Working Journalists Act
c) The Official Secrets Act
d) The Censorship Act
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: The Working Journalists (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955, sought to provide job security and better wages to press workers.
Q.11: Before the National Herald, Nehru’s father, Motilal Nehru, started a newspaper. What was its name?
a) The Leader
b) The Independent
c) The Pioneer
d) Abhyudaya
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Motilal Nehru started The Independent in 1919 in Allahabad when he felt The Leader had become too moderate in its stance.
Q.12: In the context of editorial freedom, Nehru famously said he would prefer a press that is:
a) Efficient and controlled
b) Free with all its dangers
c) Pro-government
d) Limited to local news
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: This statement is often cited as the cornerstone of the democratic press policy in independent India.
Q.13: The National Herald was widely considered the “official” voice of which political entity?
a) The Muslim League
b) The Hindu Mahasabha
c) The Indian National Congress
d) The Communist Party of India
Ans: c)
Imp Facts: While independent in its editorial spirit, its board consisted of senior Congress leaders and its ideology aligned with the struggle for independence.
Q.14: Which of the following was a Hindi daily started by the same group (Associated Journals Ltd) founded by Nehru?
a) Young Indian
b) Navjivan (Hindi)
c) Qaumi Awaz
d) Dainik Jagran
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Navjivan was the Hindi counterpart, while Qaumi Awaz was the Urdu publication of the group.
Q.15: What was the name of the Urdu daily launched by Nehru in 1945 to promote communal harmony?
a) Al-Hilal
b) Qaumi Awaz
c) Inquilab
d) Pratap
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Qaumi Awaz was started to bridge the gap between Urdu-speaking populations and the nationalist movement.
Q.16: How did Nehru view the role of “Advertisements” in the National Herald?
a) He banned them completely
b) He accepted them but insisted they should not dictate policy
c) He used the paper only for government ads
d) He prioritized ads over news for revenue
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Unlike Gandhi, who avoided ads, Nehru accepted them for financial viability but maintained a strict wall between the business and editorial sides.
Q.17: Nehru’s editorial policy was heavily influenced by which international event that he covered as a writer/observer?
a) The French Revolution
b) The Spanish Civil War
c) The American Civil War
d) The Meiji Restoration
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Nehru’s visits to Europe and his reporting on the rise of Fascism and the Spanish Civil War deeply shaped his anti-imperialist editorial stance.
Q.18: Which of the following journalists was a key associate of Nehru and documented much of his work?
a) P.D. Tandon
b) R.K. Laxman
c) Kuldeep Nayyar
d) Prabhu Chawla
Ans: a)
Imp Facts: Purushottam Das (P.D.) Tandon was a journalist in Allahabad who shared a close bond with the Nehru family and wrote extensively about them.
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___________________________________________________________________________Q.19: The “Associated Journals Limited” (AJL) was founded by Nehru in which year?
a) 1920
b) 1937
c) 1947
d) 1950
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: AJL was the company that published the National Herald, Navjivan, and Qaumi Awaz.
Q.20: What was Nehru’s stance on “Censorship” during the 1962 Sino-Indian War?
a) He imposed total censorship
b) He was reluctant but allowed voluntary restraints
c) He closed all newspapers
d) He nationalized the press
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Despite the national emergency, Nehru tried to balance security needs with his lifelong commitment to press freedom.
Q.21: Nehru’s famous speech, “Tryst with Destiny,” was widely covered by the National Herald. What date was it published?
a) 26 January 1950
b) 15 August 1947
c) 9 September 1938
d) 30 January 1948
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: The paper provided one of the most historical documentations of India’s independence.
Q.22: Which of the following describes Nehru’s “Editorial Policy” regarding communalism?
a) Neutrality between all religious groups
b) Strong opposition to communal politics and promotion of secularism
c) Support for separate electorates
d) Ignoring religious issues entirely
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Nehru used his papers as a platform to fight the “two-nation theory” and advocate for a unified, secular India.
Q.23: Who among the following was a prominent member of the first Board of Directors of the National Herald?
a) Sardar Patel
b) Purshottam Das Tandon
c) Acharya Narendra Dev
d) All of the above
Ans: d)
Imp Facts: The board comprised heavyweights of the independence movement who shared Nehru’s vision.
Q.24: In his editorials, Nehru frequently addressed “Internationalism.” What did this mean?
a) That India should remain isolated
b) That India’s freedom was part of a global struggle against imperialism
c) That India should join the British Commonwealth permanently
d) That only Indian news should be printed
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Nehru ensured that the National Herald gave significant space to world news, especially anti-colonial movements in Asia and Africa.
Q.25: What happened to the National Herald shortly after Nehru became the Prime Minister?
a) It became a government-owned gazette
b) It continued as an independent paper, often criticizing the government
c) It was shut down to avoid conflict of interest
d) It moved its headquarters to London
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: Despite Nehru being the PM, the paper (especially under M. Chalapathi Rau) often took stances that were critical of the government’s slow pace of reform.