Press Registrar General of India (PRGI) Guide & Functions

The Press Registrar General of India (PRGI), previously known as the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), is a statutory body operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Its primary mandate is the registration and monitoring of newspapers and periodicals across the country.

History and Evolution

Established on July 1, 1956, the body was created based on the recommendations of the First Press Commission of 1953. Originally, it operated by amending the Press and Registration of Books Act 1867. For decades, it regulated the printing and publication of newspapers under the Registration of Newspapers (Central) Rules, 1956.

A significant modernization occurred in 2004 when an online registration system was inaugurated by the then Information and Broadcasting Minister, S. Jaipal Reddy. In a major legislative shift, the Press and Registration of Books Act was repealed and replaced by the Press & Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, which was enacted on December 28, 2023. This legislative change also led to the renaming of the office to the Press Registrar General of India.

Duties and Functions

The PRGI performs a variety of roles, which can be divided into statutory and non-statutory functions.

Statutory Functions

• Register Maintenance: Compiling and maintaining a comprehensive Register of Newspapers containing details of all published newspapers.
• Certification: Issuing Certificates of Registration to newspapers that have been published under a valid declaration.
• Analysis: Scrutinizing annual statements submitted by publishers regarding circulation and ownership.
• Coordination: Informing District Magistrates about the availability of titles for intending publishers.
• Compliance: Ensuring that publications adhere to the provisions of the governing Act and associated rules.
• Verification: Verifying circulation claims made by publishers in their Annual Statements.
• Reporting: Submitting an annual report to the Government by December 31, detailing statistics and emerging trends in the Indian press.

Non-Statutory Functions

• Newsprint Policy: Formulating the Newsprint Allocation Policy and issuing Eligibility Certificates for the import or procurement of indigenous newsprint.
• Equipment Certification: Assessing and certifying the need for newspaper establishments to import printing and composing machinery.

The Registration Process

The PRGI maintains a strict legal procedure for the registration of a newspaper, summarized in the following stages:

1. Title Verification: The applicant applies for title verification through the jurisdictional District Magistrate, who then verifies the title with the PRGI.
2. Declaration: Upon receiving the verification letter, the applicant files a declaration for authentication before the District Magistrate.
3. Publication: The newspaper must be published within six weeks (for weekly or more frequent publications) or within three months (for other periodicities) from the date of authentication.
4. Final Registration: After the first issue is published, the applicant files for RNI/PRGI registration with the following documents:
   • Title verification letter
   • Authenticated declaration
   • Affidavit confirming no foreign tie-up
   • First and latest issues of the publication
   • Content intimation/confirmation in the prescribed form
   • Certificate of appointment of the printer

Registration Statistics

Registration is mandatory for all publications within India, as well as those imported into India for sale. These publications must also submit annual reports on their circulation numbers. As of March 31, 2018, there were 17,573 newspapers and 100,666 periodicals registered with the body.