Government Updates CBFC Film Certification Rules; New Drug Warnings and Age-Based Ratings Introduced

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued revised guidelines for the certification of films for public exhibition, bringing significant changes to the framework followed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The new guidelines, notified on September 18, replace the certification guidelines issued in December 1991.

The move comes shortly after the government reconstituted the CBFC with 18 new members, including actors Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty, Preity Zinta and Rupali Ganguly.
One of the key additions is a mandatory warning for films that depict the consumption, use or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. Such sequences will have to carry the prescribed statutory warning highlighting the harmful and illegal nature of drug use.

The revised framework also formally incorporates age-based categories under the UA certification system. Films can now be classified as U, UA 7+, UA 13+, UA 16+, A or S, depending on their content and intended audience. The age-based UA markers were introduced through earlier changes to the film certification system and are now reflected in the updated guidelines.

The guidelines also set out considerations for the portrayal of violence, crime, substance abuse and other sensitive subjects. Content depicting anti-social behaviour or violence should not present such acts as desirable or glorify them. The framework further addresses depictions involving child abuse, cruelty towards animals and persons with disabilities, particularly where such portrayals are unnecessary to the narrative.

Special attention has also been given to scenes involving sexual violence, communal issues, anti-national sentiments, public order and national security. At the same time, the CBFC has been instructed to assess content in its broader context, taking into account the setting, period depicted and contemporary social standards rather than examining every scene in isolation.
While several principles from the earlier framework have been retained, the revised guidelines seek to bring India’s film certification process in line with the current legal and social environment after more than three decades.