The Indian Official Secrets Act, which made the press law stricter by widening the definition of sedition and secret information, was passed in:

The Indian Official Secrets Act was passed in 1904; it amended an earlier law of 1889 and made it stricter.

About the Act of 1904:

• It widened the scope of "official secrets" to include not only military matters but also civil matters.
• It made it an offence to publish or communicate any information that could be considered harmful to the government, including information on civil affairs.
• It was seen as an attempt to restrict the freedom of the press and to prevent newspapers from criticising the government.
• Indian nationalists and the press strongly protested against the Act.

Background:

• The British government in India was becoming increasingly sensitive to criticism in the Indian press, as nationalist feeling grew.
• The government also wanted to prevent the publication of official information that might embarrass it.

Later Act:

• The Indian Official Secrets Act was replaced by the Official Secrets Act, 1923, which is still in force in India (with amendments).
• It deals with espionage, the wrongful communication of information, and the protection of official secrets.

Other press laws of British India:

• The Licensing Regulations (1823).
• The Press Act (1835), which removed restrictions.
• The Licensing Act (1857), during the Revolt.
• The Registration Act (1867).
• The Vernacular Press Act (1878).
• The Newspapers (Incitement to Offences) Act (1908).
• The Indian Press Act (1910).
• The Indian Press (Emergency Powers) Act (1931).

Nationalist newspapers:

Despite these laws, newspapers such as "The Hindu", "Kesari", "Amrita Bazar Patrika", "The Bengalee" and "Young India" played an important role in spreading nationalist ideas.

Why not the other options?

• ✗1878 was the year of the Vernacular Press Act.
• ✗1910 was the year of the Indian Press Act.
• ✗1923 was the year of the Official Secrets Act that replaced it.