I&B Ministry
Skill of officers depends on effective communication of information: Mukherjee
NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee today advised Indian Information Service officers that “the skill of the officers would depend on how effectively they are able to communicate information.”
He said the IIS provides an opportunity to its officers to communicate proper information in the correct perspective with various stakeholders.
“Knowledge is power and the basis of knowledge is information”, he added.
Mukherjee was speaking to a group of probationers of IIS (2015 Batch), Indian Trade Service (2015 Batch) and Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service (2015 Batch) who called on him at Rashtrapati Bhavan today.
Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated the probationers on their success in the civil services exam which is regarded as one of the toughest competitive exams in the world. He said that the civil service has a long history and different services were created at different points of time to meet various exigencies.
He told probationers that their decision to join the civil services will provide them ample opportunity to serve the country and bear responsibilities even at a young age. He wished the probationers all success in their future assignments.
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.
