I&B Ministry
Govt. invites applications for e-auction of first batch of phase III FM Radio stations
NEW DELHI: A notice was issued by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) inviting applications for the first batch of phase III FM auctions for 135 stations in 69 cities which already have FM channels.
In addition, e-auction will be held in eight new cities in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states.
While the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) was issued on 2 March, the pre bid conference will be on 10 March, the last date for seeking clarifications on NIA will be on 11 March, clarifications to NIA on 16 March, last date for submission of applications on 23 March, publication of ownership details of applicants on 7 April, Bidder Ownership Compliance Certificate on 10 April, pre-qualification of bidders on 17 April or completion of requisite formalities whichever is later and a mock auction within a week of that and the main e-auction a week thereafter.
The Ministry has placed the full details of the formalities on its website mib.nic.in and has appointed M/s C1 India Private Limited as the ‘Auctioneer’ to advise the Government on the Auction. Administration of the e-auction shall also be the responsibility of M/s C1 India Private Limited.
It has also placed on the website the reserve price of each city and station for e-auction.
The Auction shall be a Simultaneous Multiple Round Ascending (SMRA) e-auction, conducted over the internet. Bidders will be able to access the Electronic Auction System to be used for participation in the auctions using web browsing software: Internet Explorer 11.x, or Mozilla 34.x or Google Chrome 37.x.
The EAS is a designated computer resource for the receiving of electronic records under the provisions of Section 13(2) of the Information Technology Act 2000, as amended from time to time.
Prior to the auction, bidders will have to procure Class-III Digital Signature Certificate(s) (DSC) for signing and encryption issued by any valid Certifying Authority (approved by Controller of Certifying Authorities) in India which is mandatory for accessing the Electronic Auction System (EAS). The details of the licensed Certifying Authorities (CAs) are available on www.cca.gov.in.
Winning Bidders of FM channel(s) in each city shall be determined in the first stage, a Channel Allocation Stage, which will allocate FM channel(s) simultaneously for all the cities. The second stage, a Frequency Allocation Stage, will identify specific frequencies for the winning bidders.
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.
