Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024

• 26 Mar 2024

For Prelims: Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

For Mains: Regulating the film industry in India, Indian Movie Market and its significance for the Economy, India's competitiveness in the global film market.

Source: PIB

Why in News?

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has introduced the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, replacing the outdated 1983 rules, in accordance with the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023.

• The Cinematograph (Amendment) Act of 2023 amended the Cinematograph Act of 1952, which governs the certification, exhibition, and censorship of films in India.

What are the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024?

• Aim:
  • The rules aim to keep pace with emerging technologies and advancements in the film sector to ensure relevance and effectiveness.
• Key Aspects in the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024:
  • Alignment with Online Certification Processes:
    • The rules have undergone a comprehensive revision to align with online certification processes, ensuring enhanced transparency, efficiency, and ease of doing business for the film industry.
  • Reduction in Certification Time-Lines:
    • Time-lines for film certification processing have been reduced, with the adoption of complete digital processes to eliminate all transactional delays.
  • Accessibility Features for Films:
    • Movies and feature films are required to incorporate accessibility features for certification, making them inclusive for disabled persons as per the stipulated guidelines.
  • Introduction of Age-Based Certification:
    • The existing UA (Universal Adult) category has been further subdivided into three age-based categories: UA 7+, UA 13+, and UA 16+.
    • These age-based markers serve as recommendations for parents or guardians to determine whether the film is suitable for their children, promoting age-appropriate content consumption.
  • Enhanced Gender Representation:
    • The rules stipulate greater representation of women in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Board and Advisory Panels, with one-third of the members in the Board and preferably half being women.
  • System for Priority Screening of Films:
    • Provision for priority screening of films has been introduced to expedite the certification process, particularly for filmmakers facing urgent commitments related to film releases.
  • Perpetual Validity of Certificates:
    • The restriction on the validity of certificates for only 10 years has been removed, ensuring the perpetual validity of certificates issued by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
  • Recertification for Television Broadcast:
    • Edited films intended for television broadcast are required to undergo recertification, allowing only films with Unrestricted Public Exhibition category certification to be shown on television.
• Significance:
  • The overhaul of the rules acknowledges the advancements in film technology and audience demographics over the past four decades.
  • Complementing the amendments to the Cinematograph Act in 2023, the new rules simplify the certification process, making it contemporary and globally competitive.

Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)

• The CBFC is a statutory body operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, entrusted with regulating the public exhibition of films as per the Cinematograph Act 1952.
  • Films can only be publicly exhibited in India once they have obtained certification from the CBFC, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and standards.
• The CBFC comprises non-official members and a Chairman, all appointed by the Central Government, with its headquarters located in Mumbai.
• Additionally, it operates nine Regional offices across India, each equipped with Advisory Panels to assist in the examination of films.
  • The Advisory Panels consist of members nominated by the Central Government from diverse backgrounds, serving for a term of 2 years.

Film Industry in India

• The Indian film industry is the largest in the world in terms of the number of films produced and the most globalised industry in the world producing more than 3,000 films annually in more than 40 languages.
  • The three largest film industries in India are Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil.
• The Indian film industry, known for its vibrant and diverse cinema, had a market size of over 172 billion Indian rupees in the year 2022. This figure indicates a recovery trajectory, although the industry is still navigating the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and the rapid growth of video over-the-top (OTT) culture.
  • Video streaming services, including OTT platforms, became very popular in India during the pandemic and lockdowns when people were confined to their homes.
  • The online video market in India has a mix of global and local players competing for over 400 million users.
• The jobs created by the television and film industry across the country were estimated to be 4.12 million in the financial year 2022, up from about 2.36 million jobs in the financial year 2017.

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UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question

Prelims:

Q. A recent movie titled The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the biography of (2016)

(a) S. Ramanujan

(b) S. Chandrasekhar

(c) S.N. Bose

(d) C.V. Raman

Ans: (a)

• ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’ is a movie based on the biography of S. Ramanujan (1887-1920), an Indian mathematician, known for his immense contribution in mathematical analysis.
• He was a fellow of the Royal Society.
• Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.