Information and Broadcasting Ministry reconstitutes Press Council of India by adding 13 members
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Statutory, regulatory & quasi-judicial bodies· Prelims·
Statutory bodies and media regulation: a relevant GS2 topic for Press Freedom and Ethics.
Why in news
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry reconstituted the Press Council of India (PCI) by adding 13 new members to the body.
Background
The Press Council of India (PCI) is now headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (retd). The new composition includes five MPs, six newspaper owner representatives, three experts from the Bar Council of India, University Grants Commission, and Sahitya Akademi, along with six editors and seven working journalists.
Facts for Prelims
- BodyPress Council of India (PCI) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
- PostJustice Ranjana Prakash Desai (retd) is the current head of the reconstituted PCI
- FactThe reconstitution added 13 members including representatives from the Bar Council of India, UGC, and Sahitya Akademi
Prelims practice question
Which ministry oversees the Press Council of India (PCI)?
- (a)Ministry of Culture
- (b)Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
- (c)Ministry of Home Affairs
- (d)Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Show answer
Answer: (d) Ministry of Information and Broadcasting — The Press Council of India is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the role of the Press Council of India in ensuring press freedom and maintaining journalistic ethics in a vibrant democracy.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Institutional autonomy: Balancing government oversight with the independence of the press
- Representation dynamics: Ensuring diverse voices from academia, legal bodies, and media practitioners
- Regulatory efficacy: Evaluating the PCI's power to enforce ethical standards on mainstream and digital media
Keywords: Press Freedom · Journalistic Ethics · Statutory Body · Media Regulation · Public Accountability
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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.