The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has a revised set of guidelines for certifying films after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting notified the new framework on September 18, 2026. The guidelines replace those issued in December 1991 and introduce a specific statutory warning for scenes depicting the consumption or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. They also set out the existing age-based UA categories of UA 7+, UA 13+ and UA 16+ as part of the certification framework.
What has changed in the new CBFC guidelines?
One of the most significant changes is the introduction of a mandatory warning for films that show the consumption, use or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. Such scenes will have to carry the prescribed statutory warning: Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment, Say No to Drugs. The move puts greater emphasis on how films depict substance use and is among the clearest substantive additions to the revised framework.
However, the age-based UA categories of UA 7+, UA 13+ and UA 16+ are not entirely new. They were incorporated into the certification framework through amendments to the Cinematograph Act in 2025. The revised guidelines now reflect these categories alongside U and A certifications.
How will the age-based certification work?
Under the current certification system, films can receive U, UA 7+, UA 13+, UA 16+, A or S certification, depending on their content and intended audience. The UA categories allow parents or guardians to make an informed decision about whether a film is appropriate for children in the specified age groups.
This gives the certification system more flexibility than the earlier broad UA classification. Rather than having all children categorised under one classification, the age markers offer more detailed instructions for the younger group of audiences.
What does the guideline have in mind concerning violence and sensitive themes?
The modified guideline keeps its limitations for the portrayal of violence, crime, drug abuse, and other sensitive themes. As per the CBFC guideline, antisocial behaviour or violence should not be glamorised or excused, and scenes depicting children, abuse, cruelty against animals and people with disabilities should not be portrayed unnecessarily.
The updated framework also continues to address scenes involving sexual violence, communal or anti-national sentiment, public order and national security. These provisions are therefore not all newly introduced in 2026, but remain part of the certification principles under the revised guidelines.
Films will be assessed as a whole
Another important principle is that a film is to be considered in its entirety while determining its certification. The context, period depicted and contemporary standards are also relevant to the assessment rather than every scene being viewed entirely in isolation. The CBFC’s stated objectives continue to include balancing social responsibility with artistic expression and ensuring that creative freedom is not unduly restricted.
What does this mean for filmmakers and viewers?
For filmmakers, the most immediate practical change is the statutory warning requirement for relevant drug-related scenes. Producers and filmmakers will also have to work within the age-specific UA categories when their films are deemed unsuitable for unrestricted viewing by younger children. For viewers, the revised framework essentially offers more specific information about the kind of content a film contains and the age group for which it may be appropriate.
The new guidelines come after more than three decades of the previous framework and retain many of its existing principles while updating the certification system for current viewing standards. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting published the revised guidelines on September 18, 2026.
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