Context:

• Rajasthan State Policy on Intellectual Property Rights 2021-26 has a new provision for all state and private universities to develop Intellectual Property Cells (IPC) to boost innovation and creation among the students.
• Of 87 universities in Rajasthan, however, only eight have developed the cell completely.

Key Points:

• Rajasthan State Policy on Intellectual Property Rights 2021-26 has failed to find much traction with the universities in the state.
• The policy, supported by the Department of science and technology, was formally announced in February 2021.
• Targeting to provide financial and technical assistance to innovators, it provides help in scaling up the project for commercial and academic purposes.
• Experts have raised concerns over the fact that so far,unfortunately, barely 7-8 per cent of the universities have taken the benefit of the scheme while others have ignored it which is costing their students dearly.
• As per the provisions of the policy, upon acceptance of the policy and development of the Intellectual Property Cells by the university, the Rajasthan State Intellectual Property Council becomes the co-applicant with the innovator or designer in filing for the patent.
• The agency has a state-level monitoring committee headed by the chief secretary and experts from the industry.
• They not only help in providing technical assistance but enhance the innovation in order to expedite the process.
• The universities that have adopted the cell are Rajasthan Technical University, Kota University, Rajasthan University, Jai Narain Vyas University, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati University, Manipal University and Banasthali University.
• Under the cell, a team of experts examines all project reports, dissertation reports and PhD. If they find any outstanding report, it is further shared with the Department of science and technology to see its feasibility of being developed into innovation or not.