I&B Ministry
MIB categorises all non-Hindi and non-Eng TV channels as regional
MUMBAI: In its latest order, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has sought to clear some of the confusion around its recent order on processing fees that broadcasters will have to bear in the event of a change in satellite or channel name, among other things.
In an order released today, the ministry has sought to define what a regional channel is. According to it, any channel which is not in Hindi or English will be considered as being regional in nature. Moreover, spiritual and yoga channels will fall under the purview of this definition when it comes to calculating fees that they have to pay the MIB.
On 13th December, the MIB had issued an order that sharply increased the processing fee for TV channels in supersession of an order dated 1 January 2009. Under the revision, national channels will now have to cough up Rs 100,000 while regional ones will shell out Rs 50,000 as processing fee for any change, including change of satellite, channel name/logo, language of channel, category of channel, mode of transmission, teleport, teleport location, and category of channel from general entertainment channel to news channel for temporary uplinking of a live event.
The order had introduced two new categories for channels—regional and national—which had caused confusion in broadcasters’ minds. According to the television uplinking and downlinking guidelines, there are only two categories of channels—news and current affairs and non-news and current affairs channels.
While the order has clarified what a regional channel is, the definition of a national channel remains to be seen. Until today, there was no clarification on which channels will be treated as regional.
Also Read: Trai paper seeks to streamline uplinking, downlinking norms
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.
