I&B Ministry
MIB halts release of revised broadcasting services bill
Mumbai: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has decided not to release a new draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill at this time. According to recent media reports, official sources from the MIB have indicated that there is no immediate need for this legislation and it has been put on hold.
The Ministry had initially planned to issue a revised draft following varied feedback on the existing proposal, especially concerning the regulation of online content creators through licensing or registration. To address these concerns, MIB extended the feedback deadline to 15 October 2024 and intended to publish a new draft afterward. However, various media reports state that the government is now shifting its focus towards the Digital India Act to address these regulatory issues instead of pursuing further revisions of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill.
Since taking office in June, I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has voiced reservations about the bill and has reportedly criticised the drafting process, according to sources. In fact, Vaishnaw had recently told The Hindu: “We are very open minded, very flexible and want to make sure that whatever we do, we do after taking all the diverse views into consideration.”
The bill would have required OTT broadcasting service operators and digital news broadcasters to notify the government of their operations, including subscriber and viewer numbers, within one month of the act’s publication. Social media intermediaries would also have needed to ensure compliance with all act requirements. It was intended to replace key provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act of 1995.
I&B Ministry
150 govt websites earn quality certification
From PMO to PSUs, India’s digital portals ace the GIGW standards test as of Jan 2026.
MUMBAI: Clicking all the right buttons, 150 government websites have proudly flaunted their Certified Quality Website (CQW) badges, earning top marks under the Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW) proof that not every online government page is a bureaucratic black hole.
In a crisp Rajya Sabha reply to MP Mallikarjun Kharge, minister of state for electronics and IT Jitin Prasada revealed that as of 20 January 2026, the Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Directorate had issued exactly 150 valid CQW certifications. That’s a solid lineup, 116 snagged by Central Government portals, six by State Government sites, 14 by Public Sector Undertakings, plus a handful for statutory bodies (2), autonomous bodies (5), e-voting platforms (5), and even two Central Government mobile apps.
The breakdown underscores how the voluntary scheme valid for three years with mandatory re-certification – has spread its quality net wide. High-profile heavyweights like the prime minister’s office, president’s secretariat, CERT-In, UIDAI, CBSE, TRAI, Press Information Bureau, and various ministry hubs have all passed muster. Even critical digital infrastructure, including e-voting setups and financial gateways, made the cut.
Not everyone’s a winner, though, eight hopefuls were shown the digital door for failing to meet GIGW rules. Most current certificates rolled out under GIGW version 2.0, with fresher ones nodding to the upgraded 3.0 benchmarks, a sign the bar keeps rising. Fresh approvals stretch into January 2026, with validity ticking on through 2028 and 2029 for the newest batch.
The certifications date back as far as 2008, but the bulk of today’s valid ones hail from 2023–2026, reflecting a recent push for polished, user-friendly government web presence. Full details? They’re neatly listed on the STQC website for anyone keen to browse the certified club.
In an era where clicking “government site” often means bracing for glitches, these 150 standouts are quietly proving that when it comes to quality, some portals really do load with style.
