I&B Ministry
Ad self-certification: Industry requests MIB to postpone implementation
Mumbai: For most in the media industry, 18 June appears to be a very ominous day. Four days from now, agencies and brands will have to ensure that every advertisement – whether created for print, internet, radio or for TV – is put through a process of self-certification with the portals https://new.broadcastingseva.gov.in or https://presscouncil.gov.in.
In fact, so stressed are they with the impending date that the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) has petitioned the ministry of information and broadcasting to postponed the self certification process as, citing issues such as delays in uploading to the portals..
In a letter to the MIB secretary Sanjay Jaju on 12 June, ISA chairman Sanjiv Kataria has expressed the industry’s support to the initiative, but has asked for deferment of the date until the supreme court hears their concerns about the latter’s order passed on 7 May 2024. The ministry has made it mandatory for advertisers/agencies to self certify ads, and for publisher/broadcasters s to ensure they collect the certificates before publishing or telecasting any ads from clients.
Kataria in his letter has pointed out to issues such as a lack of security for the uploads, lagging, slow uploads, challenges in OTP generation, file size limitation of 1 MB for every creatve, signing authority for each creative, duration of validity of the certification, whether every language version, social media message, tweet, reel, AFP, brand integration needs to be certified – among many other areas where there is a lack of clarity. Please see attachment with this story for the issues raised by the ISA.
Urgent Request to Postpone Implementation of Self-Declaration Process
Industry veterans have welcomed the move by the supreme court and the MIB to self certify ads and marketing communications. Says former ad executive and former CEO of Star India Peter Mukerjea: “The industry brought this on themselves by some advertisers making wild, inaccurate , insane, irresponsible claims about all kinds of stuff – agencies not following an ethical or moral standard, creatives making a mockery of features including sometimes potentially life threatening behaviour and chucking in celebs to popularise the messaging ! (Eg SRK driving a car like a nut case in and out of lanes and so on, not to mention Patanjali and any number of such ) . ASCI turned a blind eye and is almost irrelevant. Personally Im glad this speed breaker has been put in place to reawaken society to ‘responsible communication’ at multiple levels. Sadly they’ve left out ‘outdoor’ ! ( I’m sure it will get added ). Well done Honble SC. “
The ISA was awaiting the MIB’s response at the time of writing of this report.
I&B Ministry
Government proposes scrapping film certification fast-track scheme
Priority route may be dropped to end queue-jumping and restore fairness
NEW DELHI: The government is set to press pause on the fast lane for film certification. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed scrapping the Priority Scheme under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, a move that could end the practice of paying extra to move a film ahead in the queue.
In a public notice issued on 16 February, the ministry invited stakeholder comments on the proposal, with the consultation window open until 17 March.
The Priority Scheme, introduced in 2024, allowed filmmakers to request expedited certification by paying three times the standard examination fee. Under the rules, priority applications could be slotted ahead of regular submissions, effectively reshuffling the order of scrutiny.
What began as a provision for exceptional urgency, the ministry says, has gradually become business as usual. The result has been longer waits for films in the regular queue and concerns about fairness in what is meant to be a statutory, rule-based process.
Officials have flagged the risk of a two-tier system, where producers with deeper pockets could buy speed while smaller or independent filmmakers were left waiting their turn. The proposed amendment aims to remove that imbalance by restoring a single, orderly queue for all applicants.
If approved, the changes would remove the rule that permits priority screening upon payment of higher fees, as well as the provision that allows regional officers to alter the order of examination based on such requests. In effect, every film would move through certification strictly according to its place in line, unless a separate exceptional mechanism is introduced later.
For big-budget producers, the shift may mean factoring in longer lead times before release. Marketing campaigns, festival slots and box office calendars that once relied on a quick certification turnaround may need more careful planning.
Independent filmmakers, on the other hand, could find the playing field a little more level. Without a pay-to-fast-forward option, the queue may become slower for some, but fairer for all.
The government says the move is meant to restore equity, improve predictability and strengthen the integrity of the certification process. Whether removing the fast-track option reduces bottlenecks or simply redistributes the delays will depend on how efficiently the regular pipeline is managed in the months ahead.
