I&B Ministry
FM Phase III e-auctions off to slow start; Govt claims Rs 395 crore as winning price
NEW DELHI: The e-auction for FM Radio channels in Phase III got off to a slow start with no bids in certain cities and the provisional winning price lower than the clock round price.
In all, four rounds of e-auction were held today with 135 FM channels in all the 69 cities of the first stage being opened.
At the close of first day of bidding, 78 channels in 54 cities became provisionally winning channels with cumulative provisional winning price of around Rs 395 crore against their aggregate reserve price of about Rs 357 crore.
The e-auction began today (27 July) with Auction Activity Requirement set at 80 per cent. A total of 26 bidders were allowed to participate in the auction.
However, there were no bids for 15 cities and the demand over the price in many cities fell by up to three per cent below the aggregate demand.
The Percentage Price Increment (in INR) applicable for the next clock round was five per cent or higher in the metros of Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai and in cities like Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Aurangabad, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Jodhpur, Karnal, Patna and Pune.
The highest provisional winning price – the same as the clock round price at the end of the fourth round – was in Mumbai – Rs 41.91 crore, Delhi – Rs 37.41 crore, Bengaluru – Rs 25 crore, Hyderabad – Rs 18 crore, Pune – Rs 16.21 crore, Chandigarh – Rs 15.61 crore; Chennai – Rs 14.2 crore; Lucknow – Rs 14 crore and Ahmedabad Rs 13.89 crore.
The ongoing auction is a Simultaneous Multiple Round Ascending (SMRA) e-auction, which is being conducted online from Auction Control Room No. 404 B Wing, Shastri Bhawan.
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:Â 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.
