tart-Ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are increasingly becoming conscious to get their products and services patented, reveals a recent data. According to Rediff.com, Patent filings by startups and MSMEs have jumped over three-fold to 310 per cent in the last five years.  The patent filings by start-ups and MSMEs have gone to 6,120 in 2023-24 from 1,492 in 2018-19, said N Ramchander, Joint Controller, Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks.

Ramchander said that over 24 lakh of students and faculty across India have been educated about Intellectual Property (IP) rights in about three years through the National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission launched in 2021. Addressing an event organised by industry body ASSOCHAM, he informed that the filing of patent applications in India has surged by 116 per cent rising from 42,763 in 2014-15 to 92,172 in 2023-24.

"Patent grants have been an even more remarkable increase of 1,624 per cent, jumping from 5,978 in 2014-15 to 103,057 in 2023-24. India has seen biggest change in resident and non-resident distribution over past 10 years with the share of resident filling increasing from 24.8 per cent in 2013 to 60 per cent in 2024," added Ramchander.

Patents Are Necessary

With the growing number of start-ups and MSMEs, cases of copyright infringements have increased exponentially during recent years. It has compelled small companies and brands to understand the value of Intellectual Properties, and how to make it bigger in challenging markets. Notably, India's IPR policy has provided a comprehensive framework for IP creation, protection and commercialisation. However, continuously evaluating and updating it are necessary to carve a niche in today’s challenging competitive markets.

The patent rules have been amended in 2024 in order to further simplify and streamline the procedure and create conducive environment for innovation and protection of Intellectual Property (IP) in India. Also, a certification of inventorship has been introduced to enhance patenting ecosystem in India by formally recognising efforts of the inventors in the patented inventions.

Frequency to file 'working statements of patents' has been reduced from once in a year to once in every three years to lessen the administrative burden on applicants and reduce compliance costs.