DIPP likely to dispose of 2 lakh pending patent applications in 2 yrs

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The department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) is taking several steps including hiring more manpower as it hopes to dispose of over 2 lakh pending patent applications in two years, an official today said.
The government official also said that filing of patent applications by Indian companies in the country has increased.
"We hope that in the next two years, we would be able to remove all the pending patent applications. We have increased ," the official, who did not wish to be named, said.
Over 2.32 lakh patent applications were pending with the Indian Patent Office as on November 30 last year.

Pendency of patent applications is primarily due to shortage of technical manpower.
The Indian patent office is carrying out first examination report for as many as 6,000 applications in a month from the earlier about 1,500.

Under the expedited examination mechanism of patents, as many as 53 patents have been granted, the official added.
In 2016-17, 9,847 patents were granted by Indian Patent Office as against 6,326 in the previous year.
Manpower in the intellectual property offices has been augmented significantly through creation of new posts.
Recruitment has been completed for 459 posts of examiners of patents and designs, in addition to the earlier 130.