I&B Ministry
‘No rollback of FDI norms for print’: Reddy
NEW DELHI: The government, today, stated there would be no rollback of foreign investment norms for the print medium, though a group of ministers (GoM) has been set up to study various aspects of this sensitive sector.
There is no intention to roll back the previous government’s decision allowing 26 per cent foreign investment (in the print medium), information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy told the Economic Editors conference, here today.
The reason for continuity: not to destabilise the investment framework. “We feel that the previous government had put in enough safeguards, which are being studied by a GoM along with a host of other related issues,” the minister added.
The present Congres-led government had been opposed to opening up the print medium to foreign investments, which was an issue that was first debated and then acted upon by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government. “We have learned to live with it (FDI),” Reddy said when pointed out that he and his party vehemently opposed the issue.
However, Reddy said that no final view has been taken on allowing foreign institutional investors (FIIs) in news channel ventures. Various news channels in the country had been demanding that FII investments should be allowed in their respective parent companies, a la print medium.
“The (FII) issue is still being studied as we want to bring in a downlinking policy (first),” Reddy said without giving a time frame for enacting legislation in this regard. Ministerial sources, meanwhile indicated that the downlinking policy may take few weeks before a note could be readied for cabinet”s consideration.
On his pet topic of autonomy of Prasar Bharati, Reddy reiterated that some additional funding need to be generated if the pubcaster were to be really autonomous.
“Should the autonomy of Prasar Bharati (manager of Doordarshan and All India Radio) depend on the fancies of migratory ministers?” Reddy asked, hammering in a point that public had to chip in if public service broadcasting were to be kept alive in the country.
In the past, Reddy has suggested levying a one-time cess on every new radio and TV set sold in the country or levying an additional excise duty on radio and TV sets. “I am not proposing anything, but such a thing could help Prasar Bharati generate more money and reduce government funding,” he added.
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.
