AI-generated practice question — model-generated for extra practice, not a previous-year CBSE board question.
The East India Company feared that criticisms written by Englishmen in India against Company misrule and the actions of particular Company officers would reach England. Critics there could use such reports to attack the Company's trade monopoly in India. To protect its commercial interests, the Company directed censorship against these English critics first.
Source: Print and Censorship, Chapter 5
The key points examiners look for are: (1) the target was English critics, not Indian writers, (2) the reason was protection of trade monopoly, and (3) the criticism threatened the Company's image back in England. Avoid general statements about censorship — be specific to the Company's commercial motive as stated in the passage.