I&B Ministry
Fresh attempt underway to study convergence of communications & broadcasting
NEW DELHI: More than a decade after the then Union government, headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, failed to agree on a Convergence Commission of India, a new attempt is being finalized to establish a single regulatory framework for communications, IT and broadcasting sectors.
The Department of Telecom is likely to make a presentation on the proposed Communications Convergence Bill to the Prime Minister’s Office on 15 February.
A Group of Ministers headed by then Finance Minister Yashwant Singh had held several meetings on the possibility of a Convergence Commission of India but failed to reach consensus. Members included Arun Jaitley (then Law Minister), the late Pramod Mahajan (then Telecom and IT Minister) and Sushma Swaraj (then Information and Broadcasting Minister). A draft had in fact been prepared in 2000 but it was then learnt to have been shelved because of differences between the then Telecom and I&B Ministers.
According to Department of Telecom sources, the presentation being prepared by it will be made before Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra on 15 February and those expected to be present will include Telecom Secretary Rakesh Garg, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chairman Rahul Khullar, and I&B secretary Bimal Julka.
The new Bill proposes a super regulator – Communications Commission – with defined powers, procedures and functions for regulatory and licensing functions, and an Appellate Tribunal.
The aim is to replace all old and redundant legislations, which include the Telegraph Act of 1885, as well as Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933, Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995, and IT Act 2000.
The super regulator is proposed to be a six-member body with a chairman who will have a five-year tenure. Members will include one each from sectors like telecom, broadcasting, finance, management, accountancy and either law or consumer affairs.
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.
