I&B Ministry
MIB cancels permission to two channels
BENGALURU: Permissions to two private channels – one news and current affairs and one non-news and current affairs channel have been cancelled in this calendar year as on 28 February 2018 as per the information put out by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). The total number of private satellite and pay TV channels having valid permissions as of 28 February 2018 stood at 875 as compared to 877 as on 31 December 2018. As on 28 February 2018, the number of private news and current affairs channels that were permitted in India stood at 388, while the number of permitted private non-news and current affairs channels was 487.
There has been a dearth of licences being handed out in the last nine months. So far, 2018 has seen the addition of only two new channel licences namely Discovery Jeet HD and DSport HD. Before that, the last licence was issued in September 2017.
Of the 875 permitted private TV channels, 774 channels were permitted to both uplink and downlink to India. 368 of the TV channels that were permitted to both uplink and downlink were news and current affairs channels, while 406 were non-news and current affairs channels. 16 private channels were permitted to uplink from India, but not to downlink in India. Five of these channels were news and current affairs channels and 11 were non-news and current affairs channels. The total number of private channels that were permitted only to downlink to India was 85 as on 28 February 2018. The breakup of these channels was 15 news channels and 70 non-news channels.
The government had issued licenses to 45 channels in 2017 as compared to 75 in the previous calendar year (2016). In all, permission has been granted to 1,101 channels. Permission was cancelled for 226 channels, with 66 in 2017 alone. 44.3 percent or 388 of the permitted channels were news and current affairs channels.
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No new channels added in December 2017
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.
