Awareness on patent rights among scholars in govt varsities stressed

Visakhapatnam: Research is the basic task to innovate new ideas in the universe. In such kind of exercises, Andhra Pradesh State Universities and colleges have been  lagging behind when compared to private universities in the  state.

The government university researchers, guides and students are far behind than those working in corporate varsities. It is evident from the fact that the private varsities are filing more patents (Intellectual Property Rights) than the government ones. IP Rights is an indicator of the state for innovative research works.

Experts say some universities are creating earning sources for the students by encouraging them to file patents. Corporate varsities and engineering colleges are encouraging their students to file patents, which is also helping them to get project works and to build up brand value.

The facilitators, be it from government or private entities, help the students to file for patents. But the students in government run universities suffer due to lack of awareness about the importance of IP Rights.

Less number of researches will affect the state universities at national ranking. National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) considers five parameters while awarding rankings. Of these parameters, Research, professional practice and number of patents published and granted carry 15 marks. 

Speaking on this to Hans correspondent, Andhra University Chemical Engineering Professor  P J Rao said that  the patent culture is slowly developing. This is the right time to change the existing culture where the objective of scholars is to submit the papers required for the research works, get them published in journals and take the doctorate qualification.

Even if the research works have the potential to get patent, they can get the doctorates. Many are not aware of it and are not filing. Hence, we are educating the students about the importance and benefit of filing for a patent, he said.    

National Research Development Corporation’s Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre, Head, Bijay Kumar Sahu said the Research publications are going good in Andhra Pradesh, but claiming rights for their works (IP Rights) is in a nascent stage. We are getting a good number of patent applications from private universities in the state, not from government ones, he adds.