I&B Ministry
Expenditure on broadcasting by MIB up by almost Rs 400 crore between 2012 and 2015
New Delhi: Broadcasting has occupied the largest chunk of the plan and non-plan expenditure of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry between 2012 and 2015. An analysis of the ministry’s expenditure shows that the Information sector came next with a slice that is far less than the expenses for the broadcasting sector.
And though films are probably the highest taxed sector, it got a slice of less than half of that for the Information Sector. Expenditure on Secretarial services is minuscule in comparison to the overall budget for each year.
The analysis also shows that the expenditure for broadcasting has been going up year on year, going up by almost Rs 400 crore between 2012-12 and 2014-15.
The total expenditure on broadcasting in three years was Rs 6693.68 crore, while the expenditure on the three other sectors of the Ministry together for these years was less than one-third of this at Rs 1918.63 crore.
Of the total expenditure of Rs 3158.53 crore in 2014-15, the expenditure on broadcasting was Rs 2467.4 crore, followed by the Information sector with Rs 466.4 crore, the film sector with Rs 176.33 crore, and Secretariat with Rs 48.4 crore.
In 2013-14 out of the total expenditure of Rs 2828.52 crore, a sum of Rs 2157.19 crore was spent on broadcasting, followed by the Information sector with Rs 474.73 crore, film sector with 154.29 crore, and Secretarial expenses at Rs 42.31 crore.
The total expenditure in 2012-13 was Rs 2625.26 crore. Of this, the expenditure on broadcasting was Rs 2069.09 crore, followed by Information with Rs 381.22 crore, films with Rs 133.02 crore and Secretariat with Rs 41.93 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.
