I&B Ministry
Govt. rejects TRAI proposal for lower reserve fee for FM phase III auctions
NEW DELHI: The recommendations by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to review the reserve price for FM phase III auctions have not found favour with the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry.
TRAI had recommended a change, after going through the views expressed by radio channel operators and new stakeholders that the price was too high.
However, the Ministry has pointed out to TRAI that the reserve price was fixed by a Group of Ministers and later approved by the Union Cabinet.
TRAI had expressed apprehensions that the auctions could be jeopardized since many operators felt the price was too prohibitive. The phase III reserve fee formula (highest bid of phase II), has already led to a lot of opposition from broadcasters.
When asked if this would lead to lesser number of bidders for phase III, I&B secretary Bimal Julka told indiantelevision.com, “We will cross the bridge when we come to it. At this moment, I can only say that we have accepted the TRAI recommendations with some exceptions.”
When the process begins – hopefully expected to start by October as indicated by Ministry sources – phase III is set for auction of 839 FM channels across 294 cities. These sources did not feel the reserve price was a major issue as the players likely to bid for the channel are large parties.
However, the Ministry sees nothing wrong with the TRAI recommendation of allowing 15-year licence period for operators migrating from phase II to phase III as phase II had provided for 10 years of licence.
TRAI had also recommended a lower minimum channel spacing of 400KHz for FM radio broadcast, as against 800KHz now, to allow more radio stations which has not been accepted by the Ministry.
The recent 2G auctions which came as a result of an order of the Apex Court had justified the need for a low reserve fees.
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.
