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Shashi Shekhar Vempati is the new chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has appointed media expert Shashi Shekhar Vempati as the new chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) i.e. Censor Board. Vempati has already completed his 5-year tenure as CEO of Prasar Bharati.
Vempati has also been honored with the Padma Shri award in January this year. Former Censor Board Chairman Prasoon Joshi has been made the new CEO of Prasar Bharati. The government has swapped the chairpersons of the Censor Board and Prasar Bharati.
Shashi Shekhar has also been honored with the ‘Padma Shri’ award.
Who is Shashi Shekhar Vempati Vempati, who took charge of Prasar Bharati in June 2017, was the youngest head in its history and the first who was not a civil servant. Vempati, an IIT Bombay alumnus, also held the responsibility of CEO of Rajya Sabha TV during his 5-year tenure.
Before Prasar Bharati, he was associated with Infosys and digital news startup ‘Niti Digital’ and in the year 2024, he joined the board of BARC as a professional director. While being the CEO of Prasar Bharati, he played an important role in the modernization of All India Radio and Doordarshan.
In view of this experience of Vempati and his contribution towards the country, the government also honored him with ‘Padma Shri’ award in January 2026.
Vempati has been associated with Infosys and digital news startup ‘Neeti Digital’.
The main challenge will be to balance CBFC is the largest body that certifies films in India. The main function of the board is to give age-appropriate ratings to films and ensure that the content is socially sensitive. After getting the new responsibility, the biggest challenge before Vempati will be to make the certification process more transparent and faster. Resolving the frequent disputes between film producers and the board will also be his priority.
Former Censor Board Chairman Prasoon Joshi has been made the new CEO of Prasar Bharati.
What is CBFC and its work? The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory body that works under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It is mandatory for any film shown in theaters and on television to obtain a certificate from this board. The board divides films into categories like ‘U’, ‘UA’, ‘A’ and ‘S’, which lets the audience know which age group the film is for.
