Central Board of Film Certification

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting appointed Shashi Shekhar Vempati as the Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on May 6, 2026. Vempati, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and a 2026 Padma Shri awardee, succeeds Prasoon Joshi for a three-year tenure. Concurrently, Prasoon Joshi assumed charge as the Chairman of Prasar Bharati, India’s autonomous public service broadcaster that oversees Doordarshan and All India Radio. Prior to taking up this honorary regulatory role under Section 3(1) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, Vempati resigned from the board of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the agency responsible for television audience measurement in India.

Statutory Framework and Evolution of CBFC

The CBFC is a statutory regulatory body operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It regulates the public exhibition of films in India according to the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Legislative History

• Cinematograph Act, 1952: This base legislation sets up the mechanism for certifying films for public exhibition.
• Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024: These rules update older frameworks like the 1983 rules to streamline administrative workflows, align with online application systems like e-Cinepramaan, and mirror contemporary technological shifts.
• The Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023: This recent amendment introduced strict anti-piracy provisions, altered age-based classification sub-categories, and made certifications perpetually valid instead of expiring after 10 years.

Organizational Structure

The central government appoints the board members and the chairperson.

• The Board: Consists of a Chairman and non-official members, numbering between 12 and 25 individuals.
• Headquarters: Located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Regional Offices: The board operates nine regional offices across India to facilitate localized evaluation.

Advisory Panels

Each regional office relies on an Advisory Panel to examine films. The central government nominates panel members by selecting qualified individuals from diverse societal walks for a fixed two-year tenure.

Film Certification Categories

Films can only be exhibited publicly in India after receiving an official certificate from the CBFC. The categorization determines the permissible audience demographic for theatrical releases and television broadcasts.

Current Classification System

• Unrestricted Public Exhibition (U): Universal rating suitable for all age groups.
• Parental Guidance (UA): Children below 12 years of age require parental guidance. Under recent reforms, this category is broken down into age-specific markers: UA 7+, UA 13+, and UA 16+.
• Adults Only (A): Exhibition restricted strictly to audiences aged 18 years and above.
• Specialized Audiences (S): Exhibition restricted to specific professional groups, such as doctors, scientists, or military personnel.

Related Institutional Ecosystem

The changes in leadership interconnect multiple prominent media, public broadcasting, and audience measurement institutions.

Prasar Bharati

Prasar Bharati is the statutory autonomous public service broadcaster of India, established under the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990. It comprises:

• Doordarshan (DD): The public television network.
• All India Radio (AIR) / Akashvani: The public radio broadcasting network.

Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC)

BARC India is a joint industry body that designs, commissions, and manages a television audience measurement system. It utilizes audio watermarking technology to record television viewership data, which guides advertising and broadcasting strategies across the country.

IASPOINT Booster Facts for UPSC

• Honorary Post: The position of the CBFC Chairperson is an honorary role, and the board consists of non-official members chosen from fields like art, literature, and social work.
• Jurisdiction Limitations: CBFC certification applies to theatrical releases, television broadcasts, and public screenings. Over-the-top (OTT) digital streaming platforms do not fall under the direct preview of the CBFC; they are governed via self-regulation and grievance mechanisms under the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules.
• Appellate Mechanism: If an applicant is aggrieved by a CBFC decision, the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act 2023 provides recourse through constitutional courts, following the abolition of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) in 2021.
• Technocrat Leadership Fact: Shashi Shekhar Vempati previously served as the first non-IAS technocrat CEO of Prasar Bharati from 2017 to 2022 and co-founded the DeepTech for Bharat Foundation (AI4India Org).
• Guiding Principles for Certification: Section 5B(1) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, dictates that a film shall not be certified if it goes against the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency, morality, or involves defamation or contempt of court. These principles echo the reasonable restrictions outlined under Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India.