The Indian patents system, having its seeds laid in the British era (1852) and undergoing sporadic replantations (the 1912, 1970, 2005 patents Act & amendments), was appearing to grow tall and bear fruits until a noticeable downfall last year. It was surprising and interesting to note the sudden decline in the patents filed, examined and granted with the Indian Patent Office as highlighted in the Annual Report 2009-10 of the intellectual property Office India.
In hindsight, we had a heavy backlog of pending examination cases, need for transparency in the system, controversies over pharmaceuticals and software patents and a longer list to deliberate upon.
On the other side of the coin, we could use a periscope to notice some of the positive changes that have happened over the last couple of years. A significant one would be the drive to digitalize the Patent documents to a respectable extent, because of which Patent practitioners worldwide can easily access Indian Patent data on a click, instead of waiting for weeks together. Another feather in the cap was the appointment of the IPO as an International Search Authority, for which of course the IPO will have to use all their muscles.
It was also noteworthy to have the IPO initiate the drive to increase the pool of their Patent examiners, which will be a significant step in filling the gaps of the years gone behind. The man leading the ship for most of these positive crusades, Mr. Khurian, in a sudden turn of events resigned as the Controller General of patents, Designs & trademark, only to keep us all guessing on his decision’s implications.
In light and support of the above comments, closer2patents, an India based Patent services firm would like to share, an analysis conducted on the Annual Report (’09-‘10) of the IPO. The analysis aims to summarize the key points and statistics highlighted in the Annual Report, and make a few comparisons with other countries on those lines. The analysis can be accessed at the closer2patents blog.
Abhishek Pandurangi