I&B Ministry
Lack of cooperation among Prasar Bharati divisions led to avoidable complications: MIB audit
NEW DELHI: “The lack of co-operation among divisions of Prasar Bharati has led to several court cases and it is suggested that a centralised Cadre Controlling Authority may be set up to handle the service matters of the entire employees of Prasar Bharati.”
Making this observation, the Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said after a Test Audit/Check of Non-Plan expenditure under Salary and Salary-related heads against the Grants-in-Aid released by the Ministry, “Separate bank accounts may be opened for Non-Plan Grants-In-Aid (Salary) and other heads. A comprehensive audit of Prasar Bharati units may be conducted by Prasar Bharati itself to have a complete and fair picture of their accounts/ expenditures.”
The audit of amounts released for salary and salary-related expenses showed that while the grants-in-aid of Rs 5381.98 crore was given by the Ministry from 2012 to 2015, the expenditure incurred on Salary and Salary-related expenses was Rs 5694.92 crore and Rs 312.94 crore was from Prasar Bharati’s Internal and Budgetary Resources (IEBR).
In this, the grant-in-aid in 2014-15 was Rs 2001.98 crore while the money for salaries and salary-related expenses was Rs 2033.70 crore and Rs 31.72 crore came from IEBR.
The internal audit helped to save Rs 1188.14 crore under various heads including long-pending dues from other government departments.
In all, grants-in aid amounting to Rs 6640.48 crores was released in the last three years to Prasar Bharati, of which Rs 2437.98 crore was during the year 2014-15.
Of the total Rs 6640.48 crore given in the last three years, the aid in 2012-13 was Rx 2062.5 crore and in 2013-14 was Rs 2140 crore.
I&B Ministry
CBFC speeds up film certification; average approval time cut to 22 days
Over 71,900 films cleared in five years as digital system shortens approval timelines
MUMBAI: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has significantly reduced the time taken to certify films, with the average approval timeline now down to 22 working days for feature films and just three days for short films.
Operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the statutory body certifies films for public exhibition in line with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The rules prescribe a maximum certification period of 48 working days, though the adoption of the Online Certification System has sharply accelerated the process.
Over the past five years, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the board certified a total of 71,963 films across formats. Of these, the majority fell under the U category with 41,817 titles, followed by UA with 28,268 films and A with 1,878 films. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
Film approvals have also steadily risen in recent years. The CBFC cleared 8,299 films in 2020-21, a figure that peaked at 18,070 in 2022-23 before settling at 15,444 films in 2024-25. During the same period, 11,064 films were certified with cuts or modifications.
Despite the high volume of certifications, outright refusals remain rare. Only three films were denied certification over the last five years, with one refusal recorded in 2022-23 and two in 2024-25.
The board may recommend cuts or modifications if a film violates statutory parameters relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence.
Filmmakers can challenge CBFC decisions in court. Data shows that such disputes remain limited but have seen some fluctuation. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 21 certification decisions were challenged before High Courts, with the number rising to 10 cases in 2025.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan shared the data. The question was raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
With faster timelines and a largely digital workflow, the certification process appears to be moving at a far brisker pace, signalling a shift towards quicker clearances for India’s growing film output.
