Guidelines for Admissibility of Titles

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

OFFICE OF THE PRESS REGISTRAR GENERAL OF INDIA

(MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING)

Address: 9th Floor, Soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi -110003

Guidelines for Admissibility of Titles for Registration of Periodicals

In exercise of powers conferred under Section 5(3)(C) read with Section 2(g) of the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act 2023, the Press Registrar General of India (PRGI) hereby issues the following Guidelines for Admissibility and Availability of Titles for Registration of Periodicals published in India containing public news or comments on public news.

These Guidelines are implemented with effect from 01.07.2025. This supersedes the earlier guidelines issued from time to time. The applicants are advised to refer to the complete list of already registered titles accessible on PRGI’s website (prig.gov.in) before proposing new titles as part of their applications. In addition, the applicants may read and adhere to the following guidelines while applying for registration of their periodical through Press Sewa Portal.

The proposed titles should preferably contain more than one word formed by combining distinct and meaningful terms. Generic or root word titles shall not be registered. Generic or root words are those words which cannot be broken down further. Here are some examples: Manthan, Darpan, Inspire, Success, Khulasa, Rahasya, Katha, Herald, Malar, Mukhi, Nukkad, etc.
The proposed titles must be unique and shall not be phonetically or visually similar to any existing registered title whether in the same language across India or any other language within the same State.
Titles should be meaningful and clear. Titles with negative connotations with religious sentiments, obscene, absurd or offensive to public sentiments, or those that could be misused with words like “crime”, “corruption” etc. will not be registered.
Abbreviations, acronyms, or numerals will be considered only if they are meaningfully and appropriately attached with other words.
Titles that combine existing registered titles whether in full, in part, by rearranging words, or inserting non-distinctive terms that do not create a significantly different title will not be registered.
Titles denoting the name of an individual should not be the names of the owner or publisher of the proposed periodical. (Example: "Rajan Times", "Deepak Samachar", "Jitendra News").
Titles containing non-text characters, or any form of signs, symbols including mathematical symbols (like "+", "*", etc.), pictographs, photographs, hallmarks, logos, monograms, phonograms, emojis, etc.
Titles formed by insignificantly prefixing or suffixing generic or repetitive terms to an existing title—such as addition of names of cities or states, periodicity or language, or addition of articles (A, An, The), prepositions or adjectives to an already existing title—will not be approved. (Examples: The Times, Daily, Dainik, Weekly, V/Wartha, Aaj, Today, Express, News, Khabar, Samachar, Bulletin, Diary, India, National, Rashtriya, "Saptahik Weekly", "Sandhya Evening", or "Daily Dainik News").
The proposed title shall not be registered if it is found to be in violation of any judicial pronouncement including matters involving copyright, trademark infringement, contempt of court, and defamation.
Titles containing words which can be construed as affecting the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, international relations, public order, morality and public decency, incite unrest or disorder, etc. will not be registered.
Titles similar to any national symbol, national motto, or suggesting misleading association with Central Government/State Governments/Local bodies/Constitutional bodies/Statutory bodies or are violative of "The Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950” or any other law in force will not be registered.
Titles containing names of Government Organizations/Departments, Regulatory/Enforcement Agencies (such as "Police", "Bureau", "Investigation Department", "Vigilance", "CID", "CBI", Commission, Defence Establishment, etc.), Foreign Governments, International Organizations (e.g., UN, WHO, ILO) in any language, or words like Sarkar, Government, Parliament, etc., or titles containing the names of public welfare schemes of Central/State Governments or its organizations or local bodies which suggest a misleading association with them shall not be registered.
Titles suggesting any association with a foreign country, city, or place which does not correspond to the state or place of publication of the periodical shall not be registered. (Example: “South Africa Times", "Canada Times", or "New York Mirror").
Titles with the names of national leaders or those resembling the names of prominent national leaders, heads of government, and functionaries of Central and State governments will not be registered. However, names of recognized national and state political parties will be considered if applied by the concerned organization.
Titles registered as a Satellite TV Channel/FM Radio/Community Radio Station with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shall not be registered unless the application is made by their owner or by their representative on his behalf. (Example: Titles such as "News Nation", "News Time", "Aajtak News", "Akaashvani Times", "Dabang News" will not be registered to applicants other than owners of such channels).
Titles resembling the titles of well-known periodicals if applied by anyone other than the existing owner of the well-known title shall not be registered. This is to avoid any false/misleading impression of association with the well-known periodical.
Titles using words like Ad or Advertisement, Classifieds, Tender, Calendar, Panchang, Matrimonial, Yellow Pages (generally prefixed with white, pink, etc.), pamphlet, brochure, directory, or any such publication which cannot be treated as a periodical shall not be registered.
Registration of new editions and transfer of ownership of an existing periodical with a title falling in the categories specified under points 3 and 9 to 13 of these guidelines will not be considered.