Centre notifies new age-based movie certification classes underneath U/A score

The CBFC had final 12 months launched a revised certification framework aligned with prevailing social values and aimed toward enhancing age-appropriate content material categorisation. Representational file picture.
| Photograph Credit score: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

The Union authorities on Saturday notified revised age-based certification classes for movies, aimed toward encouraging age-appropriate viewing, significantly for audiences requiring parental steering.

In a gazette notification, the Ministry of Info and Broadcasting amended the principles final notified in December 1991, which define the rules for sanctioning movies for public exhibition.

Underneath the amended guidelines, the Central Board of Movie Certification (CBFC) is empowered to problem certificates for unrestricted public exhibition with particular endorsements indicating the character and kind of content material, marked as ‘U/A 7+’, ‘U/A 13+’, and ‘U/A 16+’.

“Content material appropriate for a kid aged seven years and above and underneath the age of seven years with parental steering shall be labeled as ‘U/A 7+’ score; (ii) content material appropriate for a kid aged 13 years and above and underneath the age of 13 years with parental steering shall be labeled as ‘U/A 13+’ score; and (iii) content material appropriate for a kid aged sixteen years and above and underneath the age of sixteen years with parental steering shall be labeled as ‘U/A 16+’ score,” the notification acknowledged.

The CBFC had final 12 months launched a revised certification framework aligned with prevailing social values and aimed toward enhancing age-appropriate content material categorisation. The reforms sought to modernise and streamline the general certification course of.

The three-tier sub-categorisation underneath the U/A score replaces the sooner singular U/A classification relevant to kids underneath 12 years. The certification of movies is ruled by the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Traditionally, movie certification in India included solely two classes—‘U’ for unrestricted public exhibition and ‘A’ for adults solely, with restrictions on express content material comparable to nudity. In 1983, the ‘U/A’ class was launched to permit unrestricted public viewing with parental steering for kids underneath 12, together with an ‘S’ class, meant for specialised audiences comparable to medical doctors or scientists.

The 1983 guidelines had set a single age threshold at 12 years for U/A movies, however the 2023 modification has now refined this with sub-classifications at 7, 13, and 16 years of age.