I&B Ministry
Do not mix news with views and avoid speculation: Naidu
NEW DELHI: Information & Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today handed out some sanskari (rooted in culture) advise to officials of All India Radio and Doordarshan while reminding them of a pubcaster’s responsibilities in dishing out information devoid of sensationalism.
Stressing on the need for upholding credibility in dissemination of information by public broadcasters, the Minister said, “Public service broadcasters have a great responsibility on their shoulders to ensure credibility in the era of competition.”
Naidu was speaking at a review meeting during a visit to the All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD) centres in Hyderabad on Monday.
Naidu infused confidence in the officials of different media units of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) while interacting with them to understand their problems.
He said the information empowerment of the people is quintessential in the age of information revolution, and information is “great ammunition in the hands of the people in fighting corruption, poverty and inequalities from the society for the overall development of India”.
The Minister added that the public discourse should be guided by development rather than disruptive tactics and politics.
Public broadcasters must excel in factual information while communicating to the mass audience. He advised those in the public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, parent of DD and AIR, not to jump to conclusions but confirm the news before putting it on air.
“A public broadcaster, while disseminating information must abstain from obscenity, vulgarity and violence”, he said, adding that people in the media while producing programmes, plays, cultural programmes, must keep in mind India’s great heritage, culture, traditions and customs in mind.
He advised people in media to maintain high standards in informing the masses, keeping in mind the philosophy and guidelines established by the founding fathers in various spheres of public life. “Let us not mix news with views and create a bad practice,” Naidu exhorted Prasar Bharati officials.
He advocated that media should work together in bringing social harmony and discourage politicisation of social issues and not play into the hands of terrorists and to avoid in “turning them into heroes”.
He wanted the media to be biased towards rural people, agriculturists, down trodden sections, women and disabled people in giving more coverage to highlight their grievances.
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.
