Central Board of Film Certification issues new guidelines after nearly 35 years

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has issued new film certification guidelines for the first time in nearly 35 years, retaining most existing provisions while introducing a specific warning for films depicting narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The guidelines also reiterate age-based UA markers for parental guidance, which were incorporated into the framework in 2025.

The CBFC had previously issued guidelines in December 1991.

Issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on September 16, the guidelines retain existing provisions on violence, obscenity, sexual violence, communal content, national security, public order and other grounds for certification.

The only technically new substantive provision in the September 16 guidelines relates to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The 1991 guidelines said scenes that tended to encourage, justify or glamorise drug addiction should not be shown. The new guidelines instead specifically cover scenes depicting or involving the consumption, use or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.

Such scenes are required to carry the warning: “Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment. Say No to Drugs.”

The new guidelines also provide for three UA age markers — UA 7+, UA 13+ and UA 16+ — under which parental guidance is advised for children below the respective age. However, the markers are not new. They were introduced in the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, and the Cinematograph Act also defines them. The government subsequently amended the 1991 guidelines in May 2025 to incorporate the three markers into the guidelines themselves.

CBFC chairperson Shashi Shekhar Vempati took to X to specifically highlight the age markers. He wrote, “Film makers need to highlight these markers in promotional material so that these are clearly understood by the audiences before exposing children to a film.”

Speaking to HT, he explained why the markers have been specifically highlighted in the new guidelines despite already being part of the certification rules. “Reinforcing their importance and creating awareness both within the industry and broader society,” he said.

Much of the rest of the 1991 framework has been carried forward. Several of these provisions have drawn renewed discussion and criticism on social media following the publication of the new guidelines. These include the provision that the modus operandi of criminals should not be depicted, as well as restrictions on visuals or words promoting “communal, obscurantist, anti-scientific and anti-national” attitudes.

The guidelines also continue to state that films should not strain friendly relations with foreign States, endanger public order or the security of the State, question India’s sovereignty and integrity, or contain defamatory or contemptuous material.

The guidelines come days after the government reconstituted the CBFC after nine years, appointing an 18-member board. The previous full board reconstitution took place in 2017. The new board includes actors Suniel Shetty, Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi and Prosenjit Chatterjee, filmmaker Priyadarshan, musician Ricky Kej and television actor Rupali Ganguly, among others.

The reconstitution also followed the appointment of Vempati as CBFC chairperson in May this year, after Prasoon Joshi stepped down following his appointment as Prasar Bharati chairperson.