MIB mandates OTT accessibility: captions, audio description, ISL over 36 months

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has now finalised and notified the Guidelines for Accessibility of Content on OTT platforms for persons with hearing and visual impairment, building on the draft norms it had floated in October 2025. These guidelines mandate that OTT platforms progressively introduce accessibility features such as closed/open captions, audio description and Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpretation, and integrate them across both content and user interfaces.

The framework defines “access services” to include subtitles, closed captioning, audio description and signing, and standardises on‑screen indicators like “CC” for closed captioning, “AD” for audio description and “ISL” for Indian Sign Language so users can easily identify accessible titles. Platforms are required to ensure that these features work consistently across apps, websites, smart TV and desktop interfaces and that the UI is compatible with assistive technologies, enabling users with disabilities to independently perceive, navigate and interact with services.

Implementation is phased, with a 36‑month timeline for full compliance and explicit exemptions for live and deferred‑live content, audio‑only formats like music and podcasts, and short‑form/advertising content under a specified duration. A Monitoring Committee chaired by a Joint Secretary‑level officer, a three‑tier grievance redress system and mandatory conformance reporting after 36 months (followed by quarterly progress updates) have been built into the framework to track how platforms roll out accessibility across their libraries.
BCS Bureau