The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory film-certification organisation under India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Its mission is to "regulate the public showing of films in accordance with the Cinematograph Act 1952." Films that have been aired in theatres and on television may only be publicly presented in India after being certified and edited by the board. This article will explain to you the concepts related to Central Board of Film Certification which will be helpful in Indian Art and Culture preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Film Certification in India

• The Cinematograph Act of 1952 governs the public showing of films, and the CBFC is a statutory agency under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
• However, some filmmakers have recently complained to CBFC over arbitrary "recommended" cutbacks or objections.
• Given India's history of communal tensions, the Constitution of India provides freedom of expression but includes certain restrictions on content to ensure communal and religious harmony.

Central Board of Film Certification - Historical Background

• The Indian Cinematograph Act was passed in 1920, seven years after the release of India's first film, Raja Harishchandra, by Dadasaheb Phalke.
• Censorship boards were once independent bodies reporting to the police heads of Madras (now Chennai), Bombay (now Mumbai), Calcutta (now Kolkata), Lahore (now Pakistan), and Rangoon (now Myanmar) (now Yangon in Myanmar).
• Autonomous regional censors were merged into the Bombay Board of Film Censors after India's independence in 1947.
• The Bombay Board of Film Censors was reorganized into the Central Board of Film Censors under the Cinematograph Act of 1952.
• The agency was renamed the Central Board of Film Certification after a modification of cinematography standards in 1983.
• The Indian government abolished the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) in 2021.

Central Board of Film Certification - Objectives

• To provide good and healthful entertainment in compliance with the Cinematograph Act 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules 1983.
• Providing the people with healthy enjoyment, recreation, and education.
• Making the certification process more transparent and accountable.
• Educating advisory panel members, the media, and filmmakers about the certification requirements and current film trends through meetings and workshops.
• Computerization and technological infrastructure are being used to implement new technology in the certification process.
• Maintaining transparency regarding the CBFC's actions through voluntary disclosures, responses to RTI requests, e-governance implementation, and the release of annual reports.
• CBFC as a center of excellence is being developed.

Central Board of Film Certification - Structure

• The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), commonly known as the "Censor Board" is a statutory organization under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• Under the Cinematograph Act of 1952, it gives a certificate to govern the public showing of films in India.
• CBFC's mission is to promote public enjoyment, education, and excellent and healthful amusement by the Cinematograph Act of 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules of 1983.
• Only films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification are allowed to be shown publicly in India (CBFC).
• The CBFC board is made up of 12-45 non-official members and a chairperson selected by the national government.
• Members are chosen from the fields of social science, education, law, the arts, and filmmaking.
• The board's headquarters are located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The CBFC is a well-organized organization with a Chairman and governing members nominated by the government's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• According to the government regulation, they can be appointed for three years or longer. Members are usually well-known and brilliant film business figures or other academics.
• In their regional office, they also have an advisory group led by regional officers.
• There are two-tier committees that can be consulted in the event of a disagreement between the filmmakers and the Censor Board.
• The Examining Committee and the Revising Committee are the two committees.
• A Censor Board certificate is required for all films. Even international films that are imported into India must be certified by the CBFC.
• All films that are dubbed from one language to another must obtain a new certificate to guarantee that the language change is not inappropriate in any way.
• The only exception to the CBFC certificate is films made specifically for Doordarshan, which is the government of India's official broadcaster and has its own set of rules for examining such films.
• Television shows and serials are also exempt from CBFC certification.
• The Government of India established the Shyam Benegal Committee in 2016 to establish film certification standards that take into account best practices from around the world and provide sufficient and acceptable scope for artistic and creative expression.

CBFC Logo

Recommendations of Shyam Benegal Committee

• The CBFC should only be a film certification body whose scope should be limited to categorizing the suitability of the film to age and maturity groups.
• The committee also made recommendations regarding the board's operation, stating that the Board, including the Chairman, should only serve as a guiding mechanism for the CBFC and should not be involved in the day-to-day affairs of film certification.
• Online application submission, as well as the simplification of forms and accompanying documentation.
• Recertification of a film for television broadcast or any other purpose should be permitted.
• Concerning film categorization, the committee recommends that it be more specific, and that, in addition to the U category, the UA Category be subdivided into further subcategories viz. UA12+ & UA15+.
• The A category should be further subdivided into A and AC (Adult with Caution).

Central Board of Film Certification - Significance

• The certification is issued by the CBFC, which has nine regional offices across India, with Mumbai being the most important.
• The video must first be submitted for clearance at the regional office, where it will be viewed by an examining committee before being granted clearance.
• If the applicant is dissatisfied with the clearance, he or she may visit the CBFC's headquarters in Mumbai.
• In India, films are classified into four categories. They are as follows:
  • U – It stands for "universal exhibition"
  • A – Restricted to the adult audience only
  • UA – Unrestricted public exhibition, but with a parental discretion warning for children under the age of twelve.
  • S – Public exhibition for a specific group of people like doctors, engineers, etc.
• Due to the obvious dispute between the Censor Board and filmmakers, film certification is regularly in the spotlight.
• While filmmakers demand complete creative control over the films they make and show to the public, the Board believes it is their responsibility to make proper edits and cuts to ensure that they are fit for public viewing.

Censor Certificate

Central Board of Film Certification - Criticism

• With greater judicial action, the CBFC is now a certification body rather than a censorship board.
• Their role is to certify films based on this, with rather broad guidelines.
• It complies with the Constitution's Article 19 and the Cinematograph Act's Section 5(b).
  • In the interests of India's sovereignty and integrity, the state's security, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, or about contempt of court, defamation, or incitement to an offense, Article 19(2) of the Constitution empowers the government to impose reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech and expression through legislation.
  • Section 5(b) - It stipulates that a film would not be certified if any part of it is detrimental to India's sovereignty and integrity, security, cordial relations with foreign countries, public order, decency, or involves defamation or contempt of court, or is likely to inspire the commission of any crime.

Conclusion

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory organization under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that regulates public film exhibitions under the Cinematograph Act of 1952. Only until the Central Board of Film Certification certifies a film can it be publicly displayed in India.