I&B Ministry
MIB had resolved 265 complaints regarding OTT: MIB minister Anurag Thakur
Mumbai: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) minister Anurag Thakur, has informed the Rajya Sabha that MIB had resolved 265 complaints regarding over the top (OTT) content under the IT rules, 2021.
“Since the notification of the Rules, the ministry has received 265 grievances, which have been addressed in accordance with the laid down procedure,” the minister said.
A Code of Ethics must be followed by publishers of online curated content, according to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
Ministry of Electronics and IT had said in a statement at the time of introducing the rules, “Since the matter relates to digital platforms, therefore, a conscious decision was taken that issues relating to digital media and OTT and other creative programmes on Internet shall be administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting but the overall architecture shall be under the Information Technology Act, which governs digital platforms.”
As part of the rule announced in February 2021, the government also established a three level grievance redressal mechanism to handle complaints regarding Code violations.
The three tier mechanism for resolving grievances is as follows: Level I: Self regulation by broadcasters; Level II: Self regulation by the broadcasters’ self regulatory organisations; and Level III: A mechanism for central government oversight.
According to the regulations, OTT platforms must automatically categorise the content into the following five age based categories: U (Universal), U/A 7+ (years), U/A 13+, U/A 16+ and A. (Adult).
The minister predicted that India’s OTT market would grow at a rate of 21 per cent per year to reach $2 Billion by 2024 while speaking at a summit last year.
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.
