The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has certified 71,963 films over the past five years, according to information shared by the government in the Rajya Sabha. The certification process, governed by statutory provisions under the Cinematograph Act, has also become faster with the adoption of an online certification system.
The CBFC, a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, certifies films for public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, and the guidelines issued under them.
The Board recommends cuts or modifications only when content violates statutory parameters related to 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.
Year-wise data shows that CBFC certified 8,299 films in 2020–21, 12,719 films in 2021–22, and 18,070 films in 2022–23. The number stood at 17,431 in 2023–24 and 15,444 in 2024–25.
During the same period, films certified with cuts or modifications increased from 1,475 in 2020–21 to 3,033 in 2024–25. Refusals of certification remained rare, with no films refused in 2020–21 and 2021–22, one refusal recorded in 2022–23, none in 2023–24, and two in 2024–25.
| Year | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
| Total Films certified | 8299 | 12719 | 18070 | 17431 | 15444 |
| Films certified with cuts/modifications | 1475 | 1911 | 2205 | 2440 | 3033 |
| Refused certification | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Across certification categories, the majority of films received a Universal (U) certificate, accounting for 41,817 titles. Films certified under the UA category totalled 28,268, while 1,878 films were granted an Adults Only (A) certificate. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
| Certification Category | Total films certified (2022-21 to 2024-25) |
| U | 41,817 |
| UA* | 28,268 |
| A | 1,878 |
| S | 0 |
Age-based sub-categories within the UA classification were introduced through the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.
Under Rule 37 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, the prescribed time limit for film certification is 48 working days. However, with the implementation of the Online Certification System, the current average processing time has reduced to about 22 working days for feature films and three working days for short films.
The Cinematograph Act also provides filmmakers the option to challenge CBFC decisions before the High Courts. Government data shows that two cases were challenged in 2021, four in 2022, one in 2023, four in 2024, and ten in 2025.
| Year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Challenged before High Court | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 10 |
The information was provided by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan in the Rajya Sabha in response to questions raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
