Context: Recently, Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs and Textile has expressed satisfaction over the reforms introduced in examining and granting of patents, designs, copyrights and trademarks, saying the ‘ease of doing business’ will go a long way in catapulting India as an innovation hub.

• Moreover, he reviewed the functioning of the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks and deliberated on ways to build a robust Intellectual Property Rights infrastructure.

Recent Initiatives
Government’s commitment is to 

• bolster the ecosystem of patents, design, trademarks, GI (Geographical Indication) systems; 
• to encourage innovation, research & development in the country and 
• bring newer inventions and knowledge from India's heritage systems to global platforms. 

Speedy disposal of applications: The pendency in the IPR department has come down drastically. It has also been decided that any pending application should be completed within days and not months.

• Fees for Start-ups, MSMEs, women entrepreneurs reduced by 80%: The reduction in fee allowed by the department is in order to help and support Startups and Women entrepreneurs in the country. 

Using Digital means: Every application is now processed online from start to finish, hearings are conducted on phones, people don’t have to travel to patent offices now. 
Simplified procedure, growing innovation: The IP process has been simplified and streamlined than before and new timelines for disposal and shift to digital mode are promoting ease of filing and obtaining services. For example, under Trade Mark Rules 74 Forms have been replaced by 8 Consolidated Forms.
Rapid increase in grant of patents, copyrights: The number of patents granted has gone up, while Trade Marks registration has shot up.
These developments have reflected positively in the improvement of India’s ranking in Global Innovation Index.  India has climbed 33 notches from 81st position in 2015-16 to 48th in 2020.

• The ‘ease of doing business’ will go a long way in catapulting India as an innovation hub. More efforts should be taken to increase awareness about GI tag and its significance. 
• Instituting scholarships for students studying Intellectual Property law as well as engaging faculty from renowned institutions on a part time basis will help in the patent examination process.

Additional Information
Intellectual property rights (IPR) 

• They are legal rights aimed at protecting the creations of the intellect, such as inventions, the appearance of products, literary, artistic and scientific works and signs, among others.

Types of Intellectual Properties

• Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, Right of publicity

Patent laws

• A patent is a conferral by the state of an exclusive right to make, use and sell an inventive product or process. 

Patent laws are usually justified on three distinct grounds

• on the idea that people have something of a natural and moral right to claim control over their inventions; 
• on the utilitarian premise that exclusive licenses promote invention and therefore benefit society as a whole; and 
• on the belief that individuals must be allowed to benefit from the fruits of their labour and merit, that when a person toils to produce an object, the toil and the object become inseparable.  

Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks

• It functions under the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks (CGPDTM) is located at Mumbai. 
• The Controller General supervises the working of the Patents Act, 1970,  the Designs Act, 2000 and the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and also renders advice to the Government on matters relating to these subjects.
• The Offices of ‘The Patent Information System’ (PIS) and ‘National Institute of Intellectual Property Management’ (NIIPM) are at Nagpur.