The Press Council of India (PCI) is responsible for supervising print media in India and maintaining high standards of journalism. It inquires into complaints, issues warnings, and its decisions are final. The PCI aims to preserve press freedom and ensure public interest. It has a Chairman and 28 members including journalists, editors, and those with knowledge of public life. The PCI helps newspapers maintain independence, creates codes of conduct, and promotes education and research to improve journalism. However, its powers are limited as it cannot penalize violations and only oversees print media, not electronic media.

1. Press Council of India (PCI)

2. Introduction
The whole print media of India comes inside the purview of the Press Council. The Council is
entrusted with the mission of acting as a supervisory body over print media and maintaining
the highest possible levels of journalistic veracity and conduct.
The PCI is responsible for inquiring into complaints received.
It can issue warnings and admonish the news agency, journalist or editor. The decisions of PCI
are final and cannot be appealed before any court of law
It aims to preserve the freedom of the press and maintain and improve the standards of
newspapers and news agencies in India.

3. History
• First press ccommission was appointed 1952.
• First press council act 1965, constituted on 4th July 1966, started functioning on 16th
November.
• First chairman, Justice JR Mudholkar
• Repealed in December 1975, during the emergency
• Dissolved in January 1976
• Press act 1978
• Reconstituted in 1979 with 28 members instead of 26

4. Composition
PCI has a Chairman, and 28 members. The Composition of 28 Members in PCI are listed
below.
a) 2 Rajya Sabha Members
b) 3 Lok Sabha Members
c) 7 Working Journalists (other than editors of newspapers)
d) 6 Editors of Newspapers
e) 3 people with specialized knowledge on public life
f) 1 person who manages news agencies
g) 6 persons in the business of managing newspapers.

5. Objectives
Helping newspapers and
news agencies to
maintain their
independence
Creating a code of
conduct for newspapers,
news agencies and
journalists.
To maintain a high level
of public interest on the
part of newspapers,
news agencies and
journalists
To inculcate a sense of
responsibility and public
service among
journalists
To express its opinion on
any matter referred to
him by the central
government
To ensure the
responsibility of the
press to maintain high
standards of public
interest.

6. Objectives
To promote the sense of
rights and duties of citizens
on behalf of the press
To provide facilities for
proper education and
training of the people
associated with journalism.
To promote proper working
relationship among all
sections of the people of a
newspaper
To study the ownership and
financial structure of
newspapers and make useful
suggestions in this regard
To encourage technical and
other research.
To review ay incident which
hinders the supply and
distribution of important
news of public interest.
To review the matter relating
to aid received from foreign
sources to an Indian
newspaper or news agency
at the instance of the central
government.

7. Limitations
Limitations on the powers of the PCI: The powers of the
PCI are restricted in two ways. The PCI has limited
powers of enforcing the guidelines issued. It cannot
penalize newspapers, news agencies, editors and
journalists for violation of the guidelines.
The PCI only overviews the functioning of print media.
That is, it can enforce standards upon newspapers,
journals, magazines and other forms of print media.
It does not have the power to review the functioning of
the electronic media like radio, television and internet
media.

8. Thank You