Ramaswami Natarajan, Patent and Trademark Attorney, with TMP Searchers and who conducts classes for the Indian Patent Agent Examination, says that today, the number of patent agents is less compared to the number of companies.
"We are soon to get to a level like the US, where there are a large number of patent attorneys. In India, the number of patent attorneys has gone up by 500 in the last six years. In the short term, we have a scope to add 1,000-1 ,200 attorneys to this population. There is immense scope for those who want to join IPR, in the long run," he says.
Talking about the Indian Patent Agent Examination, he says, "The examination is conducted twice a year and tests candidates on the knowledge related to patents and related terminologies along with Indian laws on patent and legal drafting." He adds that law schools in the country like the National Law College, Bangalore, also offers courses in patent with relevance to the macro picture in the field of patents.
IPR related jobs can be broadly divided into two - one is working in an IPR department of big companies and the other is a law graduate in a law firm as an IP lawyer or IP Associate. "In the first category, one is expected to co-ordinate IPR related matters with respect to patent, trademark or design while the second case is looking into the legal aspects of intellectual property rights," says S Eshwar, Principal Consultant of S Eshwar Consultants, House of Corporate & IPR Laws.
Today, every pharmaceutical company, big or small, has its own IPR department, says Dr Bindhu Varghese, Examiner, Patents & Design, India Patent Office (IPO). "I joined this place when the government was looking for people who had science background with knowledge of patent laws. Today, the demand has gone up because every company is looking for ways to protect its idea or product," she says.
The Centre for Cooperation in Science & Technology among Developing Societies (CCSTDS) also runs courses on patents for woman researchers and scientists. The course is conducted under a scholarship scheme for women who hold MSc/PhD in physical sciences, chemical sciences, life sciences or BTech, or BE/MTech or MBBS/MS/MD/MVsc/MPharm. Dr Ganga Radhakrishnan, Honorary Director, CCSTDS, says, "It is an opportunity for those women who have quit careers in science due to family pressure or problems. This is a course that combines science and legal aspects. They are taught about legal protection of invention and ideas after a month long orientation programme. After training, they are required to undertake an All India Entrance Test that will screen candidates who are later placed in law firms. They are also given stipends between Rs10, 000 to Rs20, 000," she says. In the area of science, there is a a growing awareness, especially among youngsters about patents. Bhuvana Jai Ganesh, Director, CREST (Centre for Research, Education and Scientific Training), who looks into the utility of ideas and inventions in life sciences and bio-technology and works on positioning them, says. "I am approached by a lot of young people with ideas and innovations who come to me for guidance on patents. There is a lot of awareness about patents, especially at the inventor's end "
Some common terminology
A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to an inventor or an idea developer for a limited period of time in exchange for a disclosure of an invention.
Trademark is a distinctive sing or indication used by a particular organisation or an individual to distinguish its goods and services form the rest.
Industrial Design Rights are intellectual property rights that protect the visual design of objects that are not just utilitarian. An industrial design is the creation of a shape, configuration or composition of pattern or colour, or combination of pattern.
A Geographical Indication (GI) is a name or sign that is visible on certain products which correspond to a specific geographical location or origin (for eg Darjeeling Tea or Kancheepuram silk sarees).The use of a GI may act as a validation that the product has certain features, or enjoys a certain reputation, because of its geographical origin.
Institutes
1. Bio informatics Institute of India, c-56A/28, Sector-62, NOIDA-201301 E-mail:
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2.Symbiosis Society’s Law College, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune-411004. (India) E-mail:
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3.Express Pharma Pulse, business Publications Divisions, Indian Express News papers(Mumbai) Ltd. 1st Floor, Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021.
4.Indira Gandhi National Open University, www.ignou.ac.in
5. Indian Law Institute, New Delhi
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