CINEMATOGRAPH (CERTIFICATION) RULES, 2024 – GOVERNANCE
News:
Centre notifies
Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024
What's
in the news?
●
The Central government has notified the
Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, in order to improve the process of
certification of films for public exhibition.
●
These new rules aim to streamline and
modernise the film certification process for the coming years.
Cinematograph
(Certification) Rules, 2024:
Aim:
●
These rules aim to address film
certification concerns.
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They have been updated to fit online
certification processes, improving transparency and efficiency.
Key
Features of the New Rules:
1.
Age-based Certification:
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The UA category now offers sub-categories
like UA 7+, UA 13+, and UA 16+ to aid
parents in determining a film’s suitability for their children.
●
The older certification categories - U (Universal), A (Adult Only), and S (for
specific groups) will remain unchanged.
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These updates align with the
recommendations of the Shyam Benegal
committee from 2017.
2.
Reduced Certification Time:
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The new rules streamline film
certification by going fully digital, with a provision for “priority screening” for urgent cases.
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This would enhance transparency and
impartiality.
3.
Increased Representation for Women:
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The new rules mandate increased
representation of women in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and
Advisory Panels.
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It is specified that one-third of the Board members must be women.
4.
Accessibility for Disabled:
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Movies/feature films must incorporate
accessibility features for certification to ensure inclusivity for disabled
individuals.
5.
Perpetual Validity of CBFC Certification:
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CBFC certificates will have Perpetual
validity, removing the previous 10-year limit.
●
Recertification
will only be needed for edited films aired on television.
6.
Compliance Timeline:
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Films in more than one language must
adhere to the rules within six months, while others have two years.
●
From January 1, 2025, films submitted to
events like the National Film Awards and International Film Festival must also
follow the guidelines.
Go
back to basics:
Cinematograph
(Amendment) Act, 2023:
●
The Cinematograph (Amendment) Act of 2023,
which amended the Cinematograph Act of 1952, was passed in 2023.
●
It introduces stricter penalties for
piracy. These include imprisonment ranging from three months to three years, as
well as fines ranging from three lakh rupees to 5% of the audited gross
production cost.