PU puts in place IPR policy

CHANDIGARH: After the Panjab University (PU) syndicate approved its intellectual property rights (IPR) policy, the university has become the first institution in the region to have such a policy in place. The document is expected to serve as a model for other universities and institutions in the region.
Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST), which was also involved in drafting the policy, is set to propose the PU-IPR policy as a model document for all institutions in Punjab and Chandigarh."All institutions have an IPR cell, but there is no certain IPR policy document in place to guide and serve as a reference in general, or in case of a conflict. This document can serve as a reference point, while institutions develop their own respective policies," said Neelima Jerath, executive director of PSCST.
While PU's Centre for Industry-Institute Partnership Programme (CIIPP) has drafted the policy, it will be controlled by the university's IPR cell. The CIIPP will also provide an assistance of up to Rs50,000 to persons applying for a patent, allowing two patents per faculty per year. For the same, the university will seek the services of the Patent Information Centre (PIC) at PSCST. PU will assist inventors in acquiring the IPR and protecting the same. If a patent is filed through PIC, all charges are borne by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC). The agency also maintains the patent for a period of 10 years, on the condition that inventors make sincere efforts to commercialize the invention.
Senior faculty members said the IPR policy will ensure that the faculty applies through the university, which will be the 'assignee', while the faculty would be the 'innovator'. With no document in place, many patents over the years were filed by researchers as 'individuals'. This would also mean more patents reflected from the university. "The initial policy document had a ratio of 60:40 in profits shared between the innovator and the university, while the revised document now has a 70:30 ratio. The thesis will be the copyright of the student and the guide," CIIPP director SK Soni told ToI.
The policy will be applicable to university and non-university personnel associated with any activity of the university. It aims to stimulate researchers beyond mere publications, and think about the application of their research in the larger context. Inventors participating in sponsored research projects and/or making use of university-sponsored resources are supposed to abide by the policy. Staff/visiting scientists/collaborators are also supposed to follow PU's IPR policy. If inventors disclose any patentable invention/technology or trademark to another party, they are liable to be prosecuted under this policy, which will be reviewed after every two years.
From the period 2007-08 to 2014-15, PU innovators have been granted 10 patents. Most of these innovations come from pharmaceutical sciences and basic medical sciences that include biophysics, biochemistry, and microbiology. Further, a total of 44 patents have been filed by innovators through PU from 2003 to 2014.