50 months on average: Delayed patent examinations stifle inventors

Waiting time in India thrice that of Japan; largeer firms better placed than startups to have their applications cleared

Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Mohan Jindal says he will need to be patient enough for at least a year to hear back about his two recent patent applications on cutting-edge technology for semiconductor security and performance. Experts say such delays in the patent examination may become a speed bump for Indian innovators if not addressed soon.

According to a recent study by tech industry body Nasscom, the average pendency time for a final decision on patent applications in India was about 50 months, based on the latest data of 2021. The pendency time in India is thrice that of Japan.

For Jindal,