Efforts on to make patent offices totally transparent: DIPP

With an aim to bring total transparency in the working of Indian patent offices, the government is considering to make reports of examiners on applications public.

Currently, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), under which the patent offices function, does not disclose the reports.

"We are considering making the patent office totally transparent, this include examiners report and submission made by interested parties," V Bhaskar, Joint Secretary in the DIPP said at a Ficci event here.

With large number of pending trademark and patent applications, he further said that the department proposes to make e-filing of patent and trademark applications mandatory.

"We are aware that pendency in our offices are very high. It will reduce the load on patent offices," he added.

The DIPP has floated a discussion paper on making e-filing mandatory.

The industry department official also said the DIPP would come out with a discussion on utility models on intellectual property right to protect inventions.

"May be next month we will publish a discussion paper on utility models. Should the Indian IPR accommodate utility models. Should it come with in the patent regime or as a separate act?" he said.