I&B Ministry
I&B, BIS officials to meet 20 August to discuss DTH set top standards
NEW DELHI: Officials from the information and broadcasting ministry and the Bureau of Indian Standards are slated to meet on 20 August. The agenda: to discuss the standards and specifications for the set-top boxes for direct-to-home TV service on KU band.
According to an I&B ministry official, the meeting is likely to take up the issue of STBs for a DTH service and whether an “open architecture”, as being advocated by the government in this regard, will work.
When contacted, BIS officials, while confirming the meting with I&B ministry officials, however, refused to give out any details saying only after the meeting was held could anything further be said.
It may be mentioned here that the BIS is also stipulating the technical standards for the STBs that will be needed if conditional access system is implemented.
Still, industry experts pointed out that the government’s stand on insisting on an “open architecture” for a DTH service may not be technically possible as every encryption (of TV signals) is a proprietary technology.
The experts also pointed out that an “open architecture” can be possible in a scenario when all the DTH service providers (if there is more than one in India) go in for a common encryption – a scenario which is highly unlikely as a DTH service is sold to consumers on the basis of exclusive and premium programming which one broadcaster would not like to share with another or the competition. This is also likely to be the message that the BIS would be conveying to the ministry officials during the proposed meting and meetings subsequent to that.
Up till now only two companies have filed applications seeking a DTH licence, almost over 18 months after the government announced the DTH policy guidelines.
The two companies are Space TV, having affiliation with the Rupert Murdoch-controlled Star and Agrani, a satellite company controlled by the promoter of Zee Telefilms, Subhash Chandra.
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.
