When the Modi government took office in May 2014, the Information and Broadcasting Minister promised to reshape Prasar Bharati on the BBC model. More than a decade later, the promise remains unkept, as the September 27, 2026 episode of “Mann Ki Baat” starkly reminded the nation that the state still treats public airwaves as its own platform.
Key Developments
- 1990: Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act enacted, declaring the corporation “genuinely autonomous”.
- 1997: Act finally enforced, but critical sections remain dormant.
- 2020: Jagadish Upasane became chairman, signalling political interference.
- 2026: No parliamentary committee (required by Section 13) has been formed; the Broadcasting Council (required by Sections 14‑15) is still absent.
Important Facts
The Act’s Section 12 spells out the duty to inform citizens freely and objectively. Yet, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting retains control over finances, staff, and even content direction through Section 23. Asset and staff transfer to the corporation never occurred, leaving Prasar Bharati financially dependent on the ministry.
A 2021 manpower audit showed that nearly 50 % of the 25,000‑strong workforce were engineers, compared with only about 10 % at the BBC, while content staff were under 20 % versus roughly 70 % at the BBC. This composition reflects a transmission‑focused entity rather than a content‑driven public service broadcaster.
In 2000, the government declared 12 November as Public Service Broadcasting Day. Recent attempts to censor a Christian hymn during the 2022 broadcast illustrate the continued politicisation of the platform.
Exam Relevance
The struggle for an autonomous public broadcaster touches several UPSC syllabus areas: Polity (institutional design, parliamentary oversight, and the role of statutory bodies), History (the evolution of broadcasting from the Emergency era to the present), and Ethics (media independence, freedom of expression, and the public‑service ethos). Understanding the legal provisions (Justice P.B. Sawant direction) and the gaps in implementation helps answer essay and case‑study questions on media freedom and governance.
Way Forward
To realise the BBC‑style autonomy, the following steps are essential:
- Constitute the parliamentary committee as envisaged in the Act.
- Establish the Broadcasting Council under Sections 14‑15 to provide editorial redress.
- Transfer all assets, staff, and financial autonomy to the corporation, removing IIS officers from day‑to‑day control.
- Amend the 1990 Act where practice has exposed loopholes, especially the provisions that allow the Centre to issue binding directions.
- Encourage judicial intervention to enforce the Act and the Sawant direction, if political will remains lacking.
Without decisive political commitment, Prasar Bharati will continue to function as a government mouthpiece rather than a true public service broadcaster.