I&B Ministry
MIB gives permission to four new channels
MUMBAI: For nearly a year, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has been stingy in handing out licences to channels. But in July, four new channels got permissions and none were cancelled.
Sony Marathi, the non-news channel, got the permission on 16 July for downlinking. Times Network’s news channels, Times Now and ET Now, got permission for both uplink and downlink on 18 July under English/Hindi and all remaining Indian scheduled languages.
Vision Corporations has got permission for launching a new channel Indian Fashion TV on 12 July, which will have content on fashion films, reality shows related to fashion and lifestyle and TV serials. Sources told Indiantelevision.com that the channel will launch in a month’s time.
The 14 licenses which were cancelled earlier by MIB due to security denial by Ministry of Home Affairs are still now under stay order from the court.
After cancelling permission to 239 channels, the number of private satellite TV channels having valid permission in India stands at 868 as on 31 July 2018. While 484 channels are non-news channels, the rest i.e., 384 are news channels.
Of the 868 permitted private satellite channels, TV channels permitted for uplink from India and also to downlink into India remains the same at 766 among which 364 are news channels and 402 are non-news channels. 11 non-news channels and five news channels are permitted for uplink from India but not downlink into the country. 86 TV channels are uplinked from abroad which only have downlinking permission in India. This category includes 15 news and 71 non-news channels.
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.
