The
Indian Express: Pune: Thursday, September 12, 2019.
In
the period between 2008 and 2018, researchers in the SPPU’s science faculty
have filed only 30 patent applications, the university has revealed in response
to a Right to Information (RTI) plea by The Indian Express
At
a time when the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) is vying for the tag of
Institute of Eminence (IoE), a position awarded by the University Grants
Commission (UGC), a record of the patents sought by university researchers, and
their fate, may not exactly bolster its case.
In
the period between 2008 and 2018, researchers in the SPPU’s science faculty
have filed only 30 patent applications, the university has revealed in response
to a Right to Information (RTI) plea by The Indian Express.
Of
these, only 16 technologies were awarded patents by an Indian or international
agency, as per the RTI response.
EXPLAINED
: Why patent process is crucial but cumbersome
The
number of patents filed by universities, and the number of patents granted, are
important benchmarks for evaluating their rankings by the National
Institutional Ranking Framework. These are considered for receiving
affirmations from National Assessment and Accreditation Council as well. Though
the government now bears a part of the sum towards filing of patent
applications and has eased filing procedures, lack of enough patent
professionals means many university professors still find the processes cumbersome
and not worthwhile.
The
SPPU has 25 departments in its science faculty.
The
maximum number of patents 14 went to researchers from the Department of
Technology. The same department filed the maximum number of patent
applications, 19.
The
other patent applications were filed by the departments of Botany (3), Zoology
(1), Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology (3), Microbiology (3) and
Instrumentation Science (1).
Several
SPPU science departments School of Basic Medicinal Sciences, Electronic
Science, Instrumentation Science, Mathematics, Environment Science, Geography,
Geology, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Media and Communication Studies,
School of Health Science, School of Energy Studies, Centre for Information and
Network Security and Centre for Modelling and Simulation have filed no patent
applications in the last decade.
R
R Hirwani, former director of city-based CSIR-Unit for Research and Development
of Information Products (URDIP), pointed out that start-ups and incubates
associated with higher education institutes were filing more patent
applications than individual researchers.
The
long and cumbersome process of filing a patent application in India, and the
time required to process each application, could be another factor that hinders
researchers. “Once an application is filed, a decision can be expected after
three to five years. Efforts have been made in recent times to cut down this
time, with digitisation of the process and appointment of more patent-examining
officers,” said Hirwani.
Internationally,
the time required for a decision on patents is between 18 and 24 months.
The
proposed National Education Policy, currently a work in progress, promises to
bring more funding and plans for time-bound research. The policy may also
relieve researchers of routine academic teaching and other responsibilities.
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