The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has officially notified updated film certification guidelines for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The revised framework preserves the core structure of the long-standing 1991 regulations while incorporating two significant modern updates aimed at addressing drug depictions and age-appropriate content categorization.
The first major addition mandates a specific statutory disclaimer whenever scenes portray or involve the use, trafficking, or consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Moving forward, filmmakers must visually display the explicit warning: “Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment, Say No to Drugs.”
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The second update formalizes new content-rating markers to mirror the three sub-categories established under the Cinematograph Rules, 2024. These markers fall under the Unrestricted Public Exhibition with Parental Guidance (UA) umbrella, establishing distinct categories—UA 7+, UA 13+, and UA 16+—to offer clear guidance for parents and guardians regarding age-appropriate material for children.
Following the notification, CBFC Chairperson Shashi Shekhar Vempati shared the updated framework on social media, urging filmmakers to thoroughly study the rules before submitting projects for evaluation. Vempati also called on industry associations and film bodies to circulate the guidelines among the creative community to foster greater awareness and compliance.
Alongside these new inclusions, the guidelines reiterate foundational standards regarding cinema content and public safety. The I&B Ministry emphasized that the CBFC must ensure films do not glorify or justify anti-social activities, criminal methods, or violence that could incite offenses. Content that condones or encourages alcohol consumption remains subject to restriction.
