I&B Ministry
No specific instance of paid news on private TV channels yet: MIB
MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has not yet had to face the menace of paid news on news channels. In a reply to the Lok Sabha or Lower House of Parliament, junior minister of MIB Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore informed that no specific instance of paid news in electronic media (private satellite TV channels) has been brought to the notice of the ministry.
He further added that instances of paid news during election time were directly dealt by the Election Commission of India under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The existing provisions contained in the Programme and Advertising Codes (PAC) and the existing mechanism are considered adequate to regulate content on TV channels.
The minister was speaking in response to questions raised regarding paid news on 24X7 news channels and the ministry’s action on the same. Rathore also stated that the existing rules under the Cable TV Network Rules of 1994 were good enough to ensure channels didn’t cross their lines and the act does not allow for pre-censorship, only penalty after telecast. “Action is taken against TV channels whenever violation of the PAC is established,” he said.
The PAC contains a wide range of parameters to regulate programmes and advertisements on such TV channels including the content likely to pose menace of news sensationalism and breaking news culture. Rathore named a few rules:
Rule 6(c) provides that no programme should be carried in the cable service which contains attack on religions or communities or visuals or words contemptuous of religious groups or which promote communal attitudes;
Rule 6(d) provides that no programme should be carried in the cable service which contains anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half-truths;
Rule 6(e) provides that no programme should be carried in the cable service which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promote anti-national attitudes;
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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.
