I&B Ministry
I&B Ministry grants new provisional licences to 27 MSOs
MUMBAI: The Information & Broadcasting Ministry has granted provisional licences to as many as 27 multi-system operator (MSO). With this, the total number of provisional registrations has gone up to 451, as of 2 February, 2016.
It may be recalled that in January, the I&B Ministry granted provisional licenses to 42 MSOs in a bid to expedite the implementation digital addressable system (DAS) Phase III in all urban areas in the country.
Between 18 January and 2 February, the I&B Ministry granted licenses to MSOs operating in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Gujarat, Mizoram, Maharashtra and Kerala.
Of the MSOs, which were granted provisional licenses, only Viswam Digital Network based in Puducherry was granted a pan-India license.
The other MSOs that received provisional licenses for DAS Phases III and IV are as follows: Satellite Media Service, SL Cable TV Network, Sapna Cables, Sai Infocomm, Nathan Digital Communication, Maa Shanti Cable Network, Win Cable Network, Ghanshyam Cable Network, Information Service Television Network, Galaxy Cable Network, Shri Vinayak Cable Network, New Millennium Network, Sharda Maa City Cable, New Jai Bharat Cable Network, Sri Chakra Cable System, Friends Cable Network, CO TV, H.D Vision, Sahoo Cable Network, CZS Cable, D.M.V Cable Network, Vashnav Cable Network, Malanad Communication, PMC Network, OK Digital and Sam Digital Cable Network.
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.
