I&B Ministry
Delhi meet stresses need for stricter norms in cable industry
Requirement of new norms and standards for the cable industry and viewers was the main topic in a discussion on `The Cable Industry and the Viewers: Setting New Norms and Standards’ held in New Delhi on 30 April.
Organised by the Center for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), the meet aimed to highlight issues currently faced by cable TV viewers in India. Topics ranged from arbitrary increase and inconsistency in cable rates, dissatisfaction with the quality of transmission and the lack of transparency on the part of cable operators in providing information on matters related to cable operations.
I&B joint secretary Rakesh Mohan was present at the discussion where the cable industry was represented by Rakesh Dutta, Vikki Choudhary, Major Kohli, Roop Sharma and Anil Malhotra from INcable.
Mohan said the government had chosen an opportune moment to intervene, as an addressable system like CAS as it would provide levels playing field for the broadcasters, cable operators and viewers. He said the government would not inhibit the advancement of technological options like CAS as it has to take care of broadcasters, cable operators as well as viewers. He added that the subscriber would be kept informed in a transparent manner of the subscription rates for each individual “pay” channel.
He said that government would make CAS mandatory, and those who want to watch the free to air channels could do so through the old system but those who want to watch pay channels would have to buy the set top box.
The discussion was chaired by CFAR executive director Akhila Sivadas. Participants raised issues like citizens’ inability to get information from cable ops, the right to participate in the decision making process related to technological options and the need for regulation to ensure a level playing field to viewers vis-a-vis other stakeholders of the cable industry.
Malhotra, who represented INcable, said that it was the broadcastrs and not the cable operators who had increased the margins. Claiming that it was channels like Star that had increased its rates by 10,000 per cent in the past five years, he said that broadcasters were bundling many channels into the pay channel section, resulting in viewers being forced to pay for channels they don’t watch. He stressed on the formation of a regulatory body which was necessary to prevent vertical monopolization by broadcasters.
Rakesh Dutta, another cable operator, said that there was no regulatory body to monitor how much revenue was being generated by the channels, how advertisements were being paid and whether they were being made according to the RBI guidelines. Claiming that it was not the duty of the cable operators alone, he urged the print media to play a pro- active role in educating viewers. He maintained that CAS would enable genuine competition among broadcasters and provide viewers with better content and maximum retail price, reducing the number of pay channels and increasing the number of free to air channels, as revenues from advertisements would come down in pay 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: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.
