Ministry removes the 10 plus 2 TV advertising cap

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has deleted sub-rule (11) of Rule 7 of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. The Gazette notification is effective 21 August 2026.

That sub-rule held TV channels to 10 minutes of commercial advertising and two minutes of self-promotion in every clock hour. The trade knew it as the 10 plus 2 cap. It no longer applies.

The stated reason

The ministry pointed to the size of the market. Channel count grew from 62 in 2006 to over 900. In its words, “there exists adequate competition in the market within the TV industry and between the TV industry and digital media.” The argument is that competition, rather than a rule, now disciplines ad load.

What the coverage expects

Three effects are flagged. More inventory may ease pressure on lower-demand slots. Premium prime-time rates are expected to hold. Broadcasters gain flexibility to bundle packages.

The operator read

Read the first of those as a pricing event, not a scheduling one. If low-demand inventory expands and prime time holds, the cheap end of television gets cheaper. Brands that were priced out of TV are the ones this change actually touches.

For a D2C brand that has only ever bought Meta and Google, the arithmetic of a television test just moved. Non-prime reach at a lower cost per thousand can beat a saturated digital audience on incremental reach alone, and that was not true at the old floor price.

What to do

Ask your buying agency for revised non-prime rate cards over the next two quarters rather than the current ones. Model a small regional test against your worst-performing digital cohort. Measure it on branded search lift and direct traffic, because television will not pass you a click.