I&B Ministry
Harness social media platforms for effective communication and participatory development: Naidu
NEW DELHI: Information & Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the principal objective of public communication is to make people informed participants and enthusiastic partners in the task of nation building.
Effective public communication was the backbone for change management and thus all officials of the Ministry and its Media Units were important stakeholders in this process as agents of change.
Addressing the Officers of Ministry and Media Units, Naidu said “technological advances had revolutionized the way we communicate with each other” and there was a need to fully harness Social Media platforms like Twitter, Facebook for effective communication and participatory development.
Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore, Secretary Ajay Mittal and Media Heads were present on the occasion.
The Minister said there was vast scope for improvement of effective functional linkages among different media units of the Ministry including Press Information Bureau, Publications Division, Directorate of Field Publicity, Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, Films Division, All India Radio and Doordarshan. This would ensure a comprehensive and integrated outreach of the Government initiatives.
The Minister said it was imperative to realize the importance of communication in achieving the mission of making of a developed India and the celebration of India in its diverse and rich cultural traditions.
He said the Government priorities were clear in the context of expectations from officials which included focus on Results, Transparency, Accountability, Discipline and Enabling work environment.
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: 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.
