I&B Ministry
No government interference in acquisition of Network 18 by RIL: Prakash Javadekar
GOA: “There is no government interference in the acquisition of Network 18 by Mukesh Ambani owned Reliance Industries Limited,” announced I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar, brushing aside any rumour about BJP led government having a role to play in the recent acquisition of Network 18 by RIL. The newly appointed I&B Minister was addressing the gathering on the final day of GoaFest. Javadekar also accepted that cross media ownership was debatable and will be addressed soon.
“The I&B Ministry will always protect and respect the freedom of press,” emphasised Javadaker. The Minister further went on to say that I&B Ministry is looking at making both Doordarshan and All India Radio competitive. “It is my dream to make Doordarshan a success story,” he said.
“I would address the grievances of all cable operators if they take DD in the prime brand,” added the Minister on a lighter note. “The Ministry will take into consideration all the viewpoints of various stakeholders of the media and then take necessary actions in the near future,” he announced.
The biggest challenge for the Minister will be the smooth rollout of the remaining two phases of digitisation. While in phase III of digitisation 11 crore set top boxes are expected to be installed, Javadekar is of the view that the set top boxes manufactured in China do not guarantee good value for money. “The Ministry is looking at creating opportunities to manufacture set top boxes locally. We will soon meet with both the Finance and Commerce Ministries to take this forward,” he said.
Javadekar also touched upon the issue of FM radio in India. “I have already met all the FM radio heads and the way forward will be declared shortly. The age old batteries of transmitters of AIR stations will soon get some ‘air’ as the Ministry is looking at replacing them with new ones,” he announced.
The Minister, who believes in the age old thought that good advertising cannot make a bad product good and strongly feels that it holds true in today’s world too, also used the platform to address the advertising fraternity. “The difference that the nation will see now is not only difference in leadership but in its vision too,” he said.
Javadekar too has the experience of creating campaigns. The Minister who had crafted campaigns for his party away back in 1989 in Maharashtra said, “I truly understand the system that goes behind each campaign.”
Javadekar is impressed with what ASCI has been initiating and said the Ministry will give its complete support to the association. He also mentioned that issues related to ratings, if any, should be treated privately by advertisers and broadcasters unless there is conflict and they seek government intervention.
The Modi government has truly used the power of social media to scale up its communications. Javadekar said that under his leadership he will review the party’s social media activities very keenly.
It will be interesting to see what Javadekar brings on table in the coming days for the media fraternity as a whole!
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.
