On June 1, India-based production houses and studios got a shock. This is because the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has discontinued the Priority (Tatkal) scheme with immediate effect. Applications already submitted under the Tatkal scheme will continue to be processed, but no new applications will be accepted from June 1. While a section of filmmakers have welcomed the order, it has also raised concerns over whether censor certificates will now be issued on time.
BREAKING: CBFC cancels Tatkal plan; Will manufacturers now have to struggle to get censor certificates on time or will the Board streamline certification on time?
In February 2026, there were reports that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had decided to end the scheme immediately, but did not announce when it would come into effect. The scheme was launched on 15 March 2024 to facilitate instant certification. As time passed, a large number of films began to be submitted under the Tatkal scheme.
An industry source told IHNS, “Applying under the Tatkal scheme has become the new normal and has increased the burden on the system. Small producers were unhappy as they too were forced to apply under it. But where one has to pay around Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 for a regular application, one has to pay 3 times that for Tatkal certification. Hence, small producers have to pay almost one rupee to get the certificate on time. Will be forced to spend Rs. lakh or more. As a result, many people have complained that this is a misuse of the scheme.
The source further added, “So, a section of filmmakers are happy that the scheme has been discontinued. But it has also created fear. Under the Tatkal scheme, one will get the certification in 10-15 days, though as per the rules, it should be within 5 days. Under the regular processing, meanwhile, one has to wait for 30-40 days to get the censor certificate. With the Tatkal system ending, the CBFC did not clarify the timeline. There are fears that the film may be postponed if the censor process is delayed.”
Rajesh Vasani, senior industry member, Paras Publicity, wrote in a post on Facebook, “If filmmakers were already facing difficulties in getting timely screening even under the priority (Tatkal) route, one wonders what the situation would be under the regular process alone. The decision may be administratively justified and help eliminate the notion of a two-tier certification system. However, unless adequate screening capacity and operational efficiency is ensured “, film release schedules may face significant disruption, adversely impacting producers, distributors, exhibitors and marketing plans.”
