I&B Ministry
I&B Ministry to meet industry leaders to discuss online video content regulation
Amidst reports of government considering certification/censorship of online video content, the I &B Ministry will hold a second round of consultation next week with industry players, who are determined to oppose any pre-censorship on digital platform.
The I&B Ministry has invited all online curated content providers (OCCPs), including Netflix, Amazon and Hotstar, through industry association, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) for consultation on the issue of regulation of online video content, as per a report in ET.
The meeting, slated for next week in Chennai, comes close on the heels of a similar consultation in Mumbai last month.
In October, PTI had quoted union minister for information and broadcasting Prakash Javadekar as saying that there should be some kind of regulation of OTT platforms on the lines of print and electronic media and films.
“I have sought suggestions on how to deal with this because there are regular feature films coming on OTT — good, bad and ugly. So how to deal with this, who should monitor, who should regulate?. There is no certification body for OTT platforms and likewise news portals also,” Javadekar was quoted as saying.
Earlier in September, Live mint has reported that I&B Ministry was looking to finalize a model for the certification of online video streaming content soon after Diwali.
However, any government attempt to regulate content on OTT, is bound to face stiff opposition from the industry, who believe that the existant IT Act 2000 and a voluntary self-regulatory code signed by major OTT players in January this year, are sufficient in dealing with any untoward situation.
Online vidoe streaming players like Netflix, Hotstar, Jio, Voot, Zee5, Arre, SonyLIV, ALT Balaji and Eros Now have signed a self-censorship code in January that prohibited these platforms from showing certain kinds of content and set up a redressal mechanism for customer complaints.
The self-regulation code, bars video players from showing content that’s banned by Indian courts, disrespects the national emblem and flag, outrages religious sentiments, promotes terrorism or violence against State and shows children in sexual acts. Amazon, however, is not part of the self-regulatory code signed under the aegis of IAMAI.
“We should publish a list of all the laws that apply to OCCP platforms so that there is no is perception that OCCPs are not regulated,” Gowree Gokhale, head of Telecom, Media and Technology practice at Nishith Desai Associates, which is part of the consultation process, was quoted as saying by ET.
However, despite the presence of a self-regulatory code, there have been an array of PILs in court demanding regulation of online video content.
In May, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to the Centre on an appeal to regulate content on online streaming platforms.
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.
