There are more foreigners than Indians receiving patents in India, prompting the government to say “much needs to be done to encourage more domestic innovations”. The number of patents granted to Indian applicants has steadily decreased from a high of 41 per cent in 2002-03 to a low of 17 per cent in 2009-10, according to an Industry Ministry document.
It further said, “The percentage has fallen secularly between 2005-06 and 2008-09.” The proportion of patents granted to Indians vis-a-vis foreigners showed a drastic drop from 28 per cent in 2009-10 to 17 per cent in 2010-11.
In 2010-11, of the total 7,486 patents granted, Indians could claim only 1,272. On the other hand, foreigners walked away with 6,214 patents.
Japan gave a maximum number of 1,93,449 patents in 2009 followed by the US (1,35,193), China (1,28,489). India granted only 6,168 patents during the year.
In the document, the ministry said: “there are a number of fundamental challenges which need to be addressed to catalyse Indian innovation.”
National Intellectual Property Organisation (NIPO) Director T C James said that the government should carry out a comprehensive study to find out the main reasons for declining numbers of patent in the country.
NIPO is an association of creators, users and owners of Intellectual Property.
Meanwhile, Industry Ministry has floated a discussion paper to examine the viability of introducing utility models into the Intellectual Property Rights regime.
Utility models are a framework for providing limited protection to those innovations, which may not meet the standards of the Patents Act and yet are commercially exploitable and socially relevant.
The patent protection for the home-grown products will be technically called the “Utility Models”. Such a practice is prevalent in 55 countries like China, Japan and Germany.
i AM ONE OF THE CLOSE ASSOCIATES OF SEVERAL SCIENTISTS AND INVENTORS. IT IS THE INDIFFERENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO COME FORWARD TO HELP THE FINANCIALLY WEAK INVETORS OR FAILURE TO GIVE FINANCIAL OR MATERIAL SUPPORT TO THEM TO IMPROVE THEIR PROTO MODELS TO DESERVE THE PATENT STATE IS DETERRING THE PEOPLE TO REGISTER.
SECONDLY IT SHALL SHAMELESSLY BE TOLD THAT MANY WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO BEAR THE TORTURE OF LOSS AND HELPLESSNESS FROM EVERY SOURCE INCLUDING VENTURE CAPITALIST, FINALLY CHOOSE TO SELL THEIR INVENTION AND MANY WHO ARE CASH RICH DO BUY THE INVENTION AND
CLAIM THE PATENT RIGHTS. THE SAME IS WORST IN THE FIELD OF P.hd. MOST OF THE SCHOLARS ARE TURNING TO BE `RESEARCH DROP OUTS` AND MANY SELL THEIR THESIS OR
THEIR THESIS IS SOLD WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
V.KRISHNAMURTHY
No, it is not because of the dearth of patent seekers or of original research in India. There are many, many new devices, models, prototypes, etc., are invented, discovered, developed in India and those ding these great innovations do seek patent rights too. But the cost is prohibitive–not the authorised/legal fees, the bribe amount. The native Indians do not have that kind of funds in black to compete with the foreigners who even buy the Indian inventions for a song and obtain (buy) the patents in the name of a foreigner. After all, India may not be a tax haven but it certainly is a bribe haven, going by the standards laid down by the scams beginning from the animal feed (fodder) to CWG to 2G to God knows what is brewing! The patent offices are hell on earth-one cannot even file an application without paying huge bribes at higher to lower levels all alike. A few years ago, an entrepreneur in Burdwan in West Bengal developed and modified a new type of steam engine to be used in hauling trains but also for generating power for electricity and irrigation and other heavy duty purposes. His trips to Calcutta spanned more than five years involving thousands of rupees (he could not afford lakhs) but he could not get the design patented!
It is not possible for an honest and patriotic citizen to succeed in India, come what may.