Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.
The British Raj regularly ______ vernacular newspapers that printed articles advocating for Indian home rule.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → proscribed
Complete sentence: The British Raj regularly proscribed vernacular newspapers that printed articles advocating for Indian home rule. A colonial government would ban newspapers that argued for Indian home rule, so "regularly proscribed vernacular newspapers" fits the sentence.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) prescribed | to advise a medicine or to lay down a rule (it sounds like proscribe but means almost the opposite of banning) | The doctor prescribed rest for a week. |
| (2) proscribed (answer) | to ban or forbid something officially | The government proscribed the book for spreading hatred. |
| (3) probated | to prove officially in court that a will is valid (it has nothing to do with newspapers) | The will was probated a month after his death. |
| (4) popularised | to make something liked by many people (a ruling power would not spread newspapers that argued against its rule) | Television popularised cricket in small towns. |
| Also asked in CUET (UG): proscribe – 21-05-2026 Slot 1 |