I&B Ministry
IPR Think Tank invites suggestions from stakeholders
NEW DELHI: The Think Tank constituted by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion to draft the National Intellectual Property Rights Policy has sought views from stakeholders for the first draft.
The group set up on 19 December headed by Justice (Retd) Prabha Sridevan to head and advice the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion on IPR issues wants to receive comments on ipr@nic.in on or before 30 January.
Other members of the IPR Think Tank are: Senior Advocate Pratibha M Singh; advocate Punita Bhargava; Unnat Pandit of Cadila Pharmaceuticals; and Rajeev Srinivasan who is Director of Asian School of Business in Thiruvananthapuram. WIPO retired DDG Narendra K. Sabarwal will serve as Convener.
The IPR Think Tank will draft a National Intellectual Property Rights Policy; identify areas in the IPRs where study needs to be conducted and to furnish recommendations in this regard to the Ministry; provide views on the possible implications of demands placed by the negotiating partners; keep the Government regularly informed about the developments taking place in IPR cases which have an impact upon India`s IPR Policy; advise the Government on best practices to be followed in Trademark Offices, Patent Offices and other Government Offices dealing with IPR in order to create an efficient and transparent system of functioning in the said offices; prepare periodic reports on best practice followed in foreign countries; highlight anomalies in the present IPR legislations and to advice possible solutions to the Ministry; give suggestions on the steps that may be taken for improving infrastructure in IP offices and Tribunals; and examine the current issues raised by industry associations and those that may have appeared in media and to give suggestions to the Ministry on such issues.
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.
