New Delhi: In a significant move, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on Thursday (November 12, 2026) ordered the functional integration of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) and the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) into a unified organisation to be called the Press Information Bureau (PIB), marking a major restructuring of the government’s information and publicity machinery.
According to an office memorandum issued by the ministry, the existing PIB and CBC will function as a unified organisation with immediate effect. The integration will initially be implemented at the headquarters level, while the process at state and branch levels will be carried out step by step.
Under the new arrangement, the combined entity at headquarters will be headed by the Director General (Coordination), PIB, New Delhi, who will report to the Chairman/Communication Board.
The memorandum directs all Additional Director General (ADG)-level Indian Information Service (IIS) officers of the erstwhile CBC and PIB to report to the DG (Coordination), PIB. Chief Media Coordinators (CMCs) of ministries and departments in Delhi will also report to the DG (Coordination), PIB.
The order further provides that State CMCs and heads of PIB offices will report to the DG (Coordination), PIB.
The latest move also builds on earlier efforts to bring the functioning of PIB and CBC closer together at the regional and field levels. The present memorandum extends the integration to the headquarters-level organisational structure.
New Organisational Structure
The organisational chart attached to the memorandum places several communication and publicity functions under the DG (Coordination), PIB. These include building administration, audio-visual publicity, new media, outreach programmes, exhibitions, print advertising, research, fact-checking, social media and media coordination.
The structure also provides for responsibilities relating to media planning for ministries and departments, press releases, press briefings and coordination of media activities at the state level.
R K Jain Appointed DG (Coordination), PIB
In a separate order issued on the same day, the ministry ordered the transfer and posting of six IIS Group ‘A’ officers.
R K Jain, who was serving as Director General (News), News Services Division (NSD), All India Radio (AIR), with the additional charge of Director General, AIR, has been transferred and posted as DG (Coordination), PIB, New Delhi.
The ministry has stated that the integration will take effect immediately at headquarters, with the process at state and branch levels to follow step by step.
Background: Earlier Integration of Government Media Units
The latest decision follows a series of steps taken by the government to integrate and streamline its media and communication machinery.
April 25, 2016: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ordered the functional integration of selected field-level activities of the Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP), Song and Drama Division (S&DD), the Exhibition Wing of the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), and the Public Information Campaign (PIC) activities of PIB. The objective was to improve coordination and minimise overlapping activities.
December 8, 2017: The government integrated three media units — DAVP, DFP and S&DD — to establish the Bureau of Outreach Communication (BOC). PIB remained a separate organisation.
June 6, 2022: The ministry decided on the functional integration of the regional and field offices of PIB and CBC, providing for officers of both organisations to share responsibilities and perform duties of both media units.
June 24, 2022: BOC was renamed the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), with corresponding changes in the nomenclature of its regional and field offices.
April 17, 2023: The ministry reiterated the June 2022 instructions and specified the responsibilities to be shared, including media coverage, press meets, news dissemination, publicity campaigns, outreach activities and social media work.
November 12, 2026: The ministry ordered the functional integration of PIB and CBC at the headquarters level under a unified organisation named PIB. Integration at the state and branch levels will follow step by step.
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