MUMBAI: For the first time, the entire voting membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will automatically be eligible to vote in all 24 Oscar categories. Academy president Hawk Koch announced this at a meeting of the Academy‘s members.

The Academy‘s Board of Governors approved a plan that will allow members to see the nominated documentary shorts and foreign language films either at a theatrical screening or on DVD.

Prior to the final round of voting, the Academy will provide members with DVDs of the nominated films in five categories: Foreign Language Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Animated Short Film, and Live Action Short Film. In previous years, members had been required to see the nominated films in a theater in order to vote.

Koch said, "This change continues our efforts to expand our members‘ participation in all aspects of the Academy‘s activities including, of course, voting for the Oscars. Building on this past season‘s 90 per cent record voter turnout, we want to give our members as many opportunities as possible to see these great films and vote in these categories next year."

The nomination processes for all categories remain unchanged.

Academy Awards rules are reviewed annually by individual branch and category committees. The Awards Rules Committee then reviews all proposed changes before presenting its recommendations to the Board of Governors for approval.

The Oscars will be presented on 2 March 2014 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center.