I&B Ministry
Creators’ economy, a wonderful tool to showcase our rich cultural heritage and way of life: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Mumbai: Union minister of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), Ashwini Vaishnaw has launched 25 challenges as part of the ‘Create in India Challenge – Season 1’ for World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES). Speaking at the launch, Vaishnaw said that todays’ launch is a reflection of our growing and evolving economy. A totally new creators economy has been created and the same is also recognised by the prime minister of India as reflected in the first-ever National Creators Award presented by him in March 2024.
Growing creators economy: Opportunities, infrastructure, and job creation
While highlighting the immense potential in this economy, the union minister mentioned that the creators’ economy has become a wonderful tool to showcase our rich cultural heritage, way of life, yoga, traditional medicine system, and diversity in our cuisines. The Government of India is leaving no stone unturned to encourage this economy and therefore, we need to ensure the talent & skill development and availability of necessary infrastructure in this sector.
2️5️ Challenges for #WAVES under “Create in India Challenge – Season 1” launched by Union Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw
Creators’ economy, a wonderful tool to showcase our rich cultural heritage and way of life
Government working on establishing a world-class university and… pic.twitter.com/HCSIOtTBEP
— PIB India (@PIB_India) August 22, 2024
To further develop this creators’ economy, the government is focused on creating world-class talent development programs and infrastructure. There are plans to establish world-class universities and facilities that will enhance the capabilities of creators in media and entertainment, he added.
Harnessing new technologies in filmmaking: Job creation
Emphasising that filmmaking is one of our strengths, Vaishnaw mentioned that in today’s era there is a great scope of using new technology and tools in this sector thereby ensuring a good scope for employment generation. It is estimated that if successfully executed, the program can generate 2-3 lakh jobs in the sector.
Social Responsibility
At the same time, the union minister also reminded that citizens have to ensure that the society is not harmed in this journey and the responsibility lies not just with the government but also with society, industry and all of us.
To capitalise on the immense potential in this sector, WAVES is being organised and is set to emerge as a big phenomenon in future, he added.
Secretary, Ministry of I&B, Sanjay Jaju, additional secretary, ministry of I&B, Neerja Shekhar, director general, FICCI, Jyoti Vij, vice chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment, Biren Ghose were also among the dignitaries who attended the event.
‘Design in India, Design for the World’
While speaking at the occasion Sh. Sanjay Jaju mentioned that this initiative is a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to nurture and elevate India’s creative ecosystem. “It aligns seamlessly with our Prime Minister’s visionary call of ‘Design in India, Design for the World’ as articulated during his 78th Independence Day address.”, he added. Highlighting the immense potential and talent within our nation, he said that WAVES stands as a testament to this potential and will serve as a global platform where the brightest minds, most talented creators, and visionary leaders from around the world will converge to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and push the boundaries of creativity.
‘Create in India Challenge – Season 1’
These challenges, hosted by leading industry associations and organisations, cover a wide range of disciplines including animation, filmmaking, gaming, music, and visual arts. These challenges are being done in the run up to the main event.
List of ‘Create in India’ Challenges – Season 1
1. Anime Challenge by Media and Entertainment Association of India
2. Animation Filmmakers Competition by Dancing Atoms
3. Game Jam by India Game Developer Conference
4. Esports Tournament by Esports Federation of India
5. City Quest: Shades of Bharat by E-gaming Federation
6. Handheld Educational Video Game Development by Indian Digital Gaming Society
7. Comics Creator Championship by Indian Comics Association
8. Young Filmmakers Challenge by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Whistling Woods International
9. XR Creator Hackathon by Wavelaps and XDG
10. AI Film Making Competition by InVideo
11. WAVES Promo Video Challenge Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation
12. TruthTell Hackathon by India Cellular & Electronics Association
13. Community Radio Content Challenge by Community Radio Association
14. Theme Music Competition by Indian Music Industry
15. WAVES Hackathon: Adspend Optimizer by Advertising Agencies Association of India
16. WAVES AI Art Installation Challenge by Internet and Mobile Association of India
17. WAVES Explorer by Internet and Mobile Association of India
18. Reel Making Challenge by Internet and Mobile Association of India
19. Film Poster Making Competition National Film Archive of India – National Film Development Corporation
20. Virtual Influencer Creation Contest by AVTR meta labs
21. Battle of the Bands by Prasar Bharati
22. Symphony of India by Prasar Bharati
23. India: A Bird’s Eye View by Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited
24. Anti-Piracy Challenge by Confederation of Indian Industry
25. Trailer Making Competition by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry
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.
