. ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁scale ▁of ▁the ▁awards , ▁they ▁are ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁most ▁pr estig ious ▁cinema ▁awards ▁in ▁India . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁The ▁Awards ▁were ▁first ▁presented ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁The ▁Government ▁of ▁India ▁conce ived ▁the ▁ceremony ▁to ▁honour ▁films ▁made ▁across ▁India , ▁on ▁a ▁national ▁scale , ▁to ▁encou rage ▁the ▁further ing ▁of ▁Indian ▁art ▁and ▁culture . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁the ▁Indian ▁Director ate ▁of ▁Film ▁Fest iv als ▁admin ister s ▁the ▁ceremony ▁along ▁with ▁other ▁major ▁film ▁events ▁in ▁India ▁ann ually . ▁ ▁J uries ▁and ▁rules ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Film ▁Awards ▁are ▁presented ▁in ▁two ▁main ▁categories : ▁Fe ature ▁Films ▁and ▁Non - Feature ▁Films . ▁The ▁jur ies ▁are ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Director ate ▁of ▁Film ▁Fest iv als ▁in ▁India . ▁Ne ither ▁the ▁Government ▁nor ▁the ▁Director ate ▁have ▁influence ▁over ▁which ▁films ▁are ▁selected ▁for ▁consideration ▁and ▁which ▁films ▁ultimately ▁win ▁awards . ▁There ▁are ▁strict ▁criteria ▁as ▁to ▁whether ▁a ▁film ▁is ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁consideration ▁by ▁the ▁j ury ▁pan els . ▁Over ▁ 1 0 0 ▁films ▁made ▁across ▁the ▁country ▁are ▁entered ▁in ▁each ▁category ▁( Feature ▁and ▁Non - Feature ) ▁for ▁the ▁awards ▁and ▁de emed ▁el ig ible ▁each ▁year . ▁ ▁A ▁list ▁of ▁rules ▁is ▁presented ▁every ▁year ▁in ▁a ▁document ▁of ▁reg ulations ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁National ▁Film ▁Award ▁Reg ulations . ▁The ▁criteria