Chennai, NFAPost: Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT -M) has achieved a milestone of doubling the number of patents granted to it during 2023 calendar year. From 156 patents granted during 2022, the number increased considerably to 300 during 2023.
In addition, the number of international patents filed (including those granted under Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)) also recorded a significant increase, going up to 105 during 2023, from 58 in the preceding year.
Further, as many as 221 patents have already been filed during the current fiscal (As on December 2023), including 163 Indian Patents and 63 International Patents Applications (including PCT).
Since the Institute’s inception, a total of about 2,550 IP (including Patent) applications have been filed both in India (1,800) and abroad (750) so far, out of which about 1,100 are registered IPs/granted patents (about 900 Indian & 200 International).
It is a matter of pride for IIT Madras that it had started filing patent applications as early as January 1975 (granted in May 1977). The total number of IP applications filed crossed 1,000 in the year 2016, 2000 in the year 2022 and 2,500 in the year 2023.
Lauding the faculty, researchers and students on their pioneering and translational research, IIT-Madras Director V Kamakoti said as the country is marching towards our 100th year of Independence, for Bharat to become a superpower it is very important to protect ideas.
“In this direction, I congratulate the faculty and students and the Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR) who have put together a very comprehensive program, by which we have created a record in the number of patents filed,” said IIT-Madras Director V Kamakoti.
Researchers at IIT Madras are proactively generating intellectual property (IP) in domains such as wireless networks, advanced materials, robotics, additive manufacturing technology, engine advancements, assistive devices, advanced sensor applications, clean energy, aerospace applications, polymer material and thin films, catalysts, and biomedical applications. among many other emerging technologies.
The Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR) at IIT Madras coordinates the different aspects related to Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer. The Centre collaborates with faculty, researchers and students and also has a dedicated Legal Cell.
Elaborating on the Institute support provided to researchers, Prof. Manu Santhanam, Dean (IC&SR), IIT Madras, “The institute has made it easy for inventors to access existing patent information through an online AI-based patent search tools.
This facility has helped the inventors not only to quickly evaluate the invention by themselves but also to improve their ideas and claims. The emphasis is also equally on the quality of the work being translated as IP. This is only possible because of the collaborative effort of our inventors and the IP team.”
Further, Ravindra Gettu, former Dean (ICSR), IIT-Madras, said there are three aspects of IP enabling at IITM: Clarifying, simplifying and demystifying IP filling.
“Providing support for quick filing and follow-up without the faculty losing time or worrying about procedures; and facilitating technology transfer and monetisation of IP. The success stories and incentives are helping considerably,” said Ravindra Gettu.
The Institute has taken various initiatives to boost IP/patent application filings and technology transfer including:
Simple IP Management Tool:
The institute has developed an efficient in-house IP management tool which helps in docketing, document storage and retrieval of data, leading to easy and quick access of information.
Availing Fee Reduction:
Government of India has reduced the patent filing fee for educational institutions with effect from 21.09.2021. For example, the official fee for filing an application for Indian patent was reduced from INR 8,000 to INR 1,600. The institute has been effectively using this provision to file a large number of patent applications.
Fast-tracking applications:
Patent prosecution is a time-consuming process. A patent application is followed by publication and examination before it is granted. The ordinary timeline for publication is 18 months and for examination is 48 months. To accelerate the prosecution process, all eligible patent applications are considered for filing early publication and expedited examination, which allows the patent to be published in 1 month and examined within 3 months.
IPR awareness Workshop:
IPM Cell periodically conducts Intellectual Property programs to researchers and students to create awareness on IP processing and filing. The cell organizes regular meetings with inventors at the time of submission of the idea to fine-tune their IP applications and claims.
Motivating researchers:
The Institute continues to motivate and encourage IP generations and technology transfers by rewarding/providing incentives to the best-performing researchers by sharing 72% of the licensed money received with inventors, and annually recognising top performing inventors by giving awards like Sir J.C. Bose Patent Awards-New Innovation award & Test of time award.
Recognition received for IP and Technology Transfer activities in the recent past include:
Questel IP Excellence Award 2023
CII – Industrial Intellectual Property Award 2023 in the category of Academic Institution by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). This is based on Best Patents Portfolio during 2018-23.
CII – Industrial Intellectual Property Awards 2022 in the category of Academic Institution by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). This is based on Best Patents Portfolio during 2017-22
CII – Industrial Innovation Award 2020 – Winner in Most Innovative Research Institution (Disruptive Innovations) by CII
National Intellectual Property Awards 2021 & 2022 – Top Indian Academic Institution for Patents Filing, Grant & Commercialisation by Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India.
Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) – Continuously Ranked No. 1 among centrally funded universities (2019 to 2021) by Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. ARIIA ranks the institutes based on high-quality research, innovation and entrepreneurship development, among others.
