MIB clears ambiguity over PSA films, allows separate 2-minute windows for Centre, states

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a clarification on the exhibition of Public Service Awareness (PSA) films in cinema theatres, settling ambiguity over the duration of such films and the manner in which the prescribed screening slots can be used.

In an Office Memorandum dated August 5, 2026, the ministry clarified that the maximum permissible duration of PSA films prescribed under its November 30, 2023 guidelines is up to two minutes separately for films issued by the Central Government and up to two minutes separately for PSA films issued by the concerned state government.

The clarification is significant for cinema exhibitors and government departments as it establishes that the two-minute ceiling does not constitute a combined limit for Central and state government PSA films. Instead, each category can have a film of up to two minutes within the prescribed exhibition framework.

MIB clarifies two-minute limit

The ministry's clarification follows references received by it seeking clarity on the interpretation of the guidelines issued on November 30, 2023, particularly concerning the duration of PSA films and the time slots during which they can be exhibited in cinemas.

Under paragraph 5 of the 2023 guidelines, the duration of approved PSA films of the Central Government is prescribed as up to two minutes. The guidelines also provide that state governments may provide PSA films of up to two minutes in duration for exhibition in cinema theatres.

The latest memorandum makes it clear that these are separate entitlements.

Accordingly, a PSA film issued by the Central Government can run for up to two minutes, while a PSA film issued by the relevant state government can separately run for up to another two minutes.

This means that the clarification does not alter the two-minute ceiling applicable to an individual PSA film. Rather, it explains how the limit should be interpreted when both Central and state government PSA content is being screened.

Two prescribed windows for PSA films

The MIB has also reiterated the time slots during which PSA films can be shown in cinemas.

Paragraph 6 of the November 2023 guidelines provides two designated windows for such films. The first is the 10-minute pre-show period immediately before commencement of the film. The second is the last five minutes of the interval before the second half of the movie package.

The latest clarification states that a Central Government PSA film of up to two minutes and a PSA film of up to two minutes from the concerned state government may each be exhibited in either of these prescribed time slots.

In other words, exhibitors are not required to treat the Central and state government PSA films as one combined two-minute package.

Both categories can independently use the permitted duration, subject to their being shown within the specified pre-show or interval windows.

Clarity for exhibitors and government agencies

The clarification is aimed at removing ambiguity that could otherwise have resulted in different interpretations by cinema operators, government departments and other stakeholders responsible for PSA campaigns.

The ministry has specifically asked all concerned stakeholders to regulate the exhibition of PSA films in cinema theatres in accordance with the clarification.

The memorandum has been circulated to the Prime Minister's Office and all ministries and departments of the Government of India. It has also been sent to the chief secretaries and administrators of all states and Union territories, with a request that the concerned ministries and departments incorporate the relevant provisions into their respective state and UT rules.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Mumbai, has also been asked to circulate the clarification among stakeholders, while the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), New Delhi, has been included among the recipients.

What happens when a PSA is one minute or shorter?

The MIB has also addressed a specific scenario involving shorter PSA films.

According to the clarification, where a PSA film or films have a duration of one minute or less, the same film or films may be exhibited in both of the prescribed time slots — that is, during the 10-minute pre-show period as well as during the last five minutes of the interval before the second half.

However, the ministry has attached an important condition: the overall duration of the PSA film or films exhibited must not exceed the two-minute limit prescribed under paragraph 5 of the guidelines.

This provision effectively allows shorter PSA content to be repeated across both permitted windows while ensuring that the aggregate duration remains within the stipulated limit.

The distinction is important because the memorandum treats the two-minute ceiling as the controlling limit even when shorter PSA material is shown in both available screening windows.

Separate treatment of Centre and state PSAs

The key takeaway from the MIB's clarification is that Central Government and state government PSA films are to be treated separately for the purpose of the maximum duration.

For example, a Central Government PSA film can run for up to two minutes, while a state government PSA film can separately run for up to two minutes. Each can be placed in either of the prescribed PSA exhibition windows.

The clarification therefore provides greater flexibility for government communication campaigns while retaining the broader framework governing the amount and timing of PSA content that can be carried by cinema theatres.

At the same time, the memorandum does not indicate any change to the underlying 2023 guidelines. Instead, it seeks to clarify their interpretation, particularly around the duration provisions under paragraphs 5 and 6.

Guidelines were issued in November 2023

The clarification stems from the guidelines issued by the MIB on November 30, 2023, governing the exhibition of Public Service Awareness films in cinema theatres.

For cinema exhibitors, the clarification provides a more definitive interpretation of the PSA framework and removes uncertainty around whether the two-minute limit applies collectively to Central and state government campaigns or separately. The MIB has now explicitly established the latter interpretation, while retaining the prescribed exhibition windows and the overall restrictions applicable to shorter PSA films.