I&B Ministry
FM Phase III: Govt gets Rs 263.97 crore as bid deposit post auction
NEW DELHI: A total amount of Rs 263.97 crore has been received by the Government as bid deposits from successful bidders of e-auction of the first batch of private FM radio Phase III channels.
This is 25 per cent of the successful bid amount for a channel defined as bid deposit in the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) of 2 March.
Under the stipulated payment methodology by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, successful bidders had to pay the bid deposits for winning channels within five calendar days of notification of auction results.
The Ministry had notified 14 successful bidders for 91 channels in 54 cities of the first batch on 16 September.
Successful bidders will now have to pay the balance amount within 15 calendar days of the notification by 1 October.
On receipt of full successful bid amount – Non-refundable One Time Entry Fee (NOTEF) – within the prescribed time, the Ministry will issue Letter of Intent to the bidders to enable them to complete further formalities.
The e-auction of the first batch of FM phase III comprising 135 channels in 69 cities had commenced on 27 July and concluded after 33 days of bidding on 9 September.
The Ministry had said while announcing the results of 91 channels in 54 cities that they do not include the results of the bids by Sun TV, South Asia FM and Kal Radio in compliance with the orders of the Madras High Court.
It also said the Centre had decided to file a special leave to appeal in the Supreme Court against the order of 26 July of the Delhi High Court of Delhi in the petitions by Digital Radio (Mumbai) Broadcasting Ltd. & Digital Radio (Delhi) Broadcasting Ltd. respectively.
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.
