The patent offices in the country are being modernized to global standards as the world is gearing up to enter into a new patent regime from January 1, 2005, according to S. Chandrasekharan, joint director of Patents and Designs, Patent Office, Chennai.

Land has been acquired to set up a new patent office in Chennai. The offices in Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai are already modernized and computerized with adequate infrastructure. The Trademarks Registry, Mumbai has been fully modernized and the Patent Information Service, Nagpur has been developed as an Intellectual Property Training Institute to disseminate updated patent information. The modernization process was mainly aimed at bringing in more transparency, efficiency, decentralization of work and powers, and digitization to improve information flow and patent processing, said Chandrasekharan, while participating in a two day 'National workshop on Intellectual Property Rights', organized by the Sri Ramachandra College of Management, in association with the Ministry of Human Resources, New Delhi.

He noted that the Indian patent offices were so far handling only about 10 categories like patents, designs, trademark, copyrights, Geographical indications etc., and provisions have been made to protection of inventions in the field of biotechnology, layout designs etc. In India, patents were given for a period of seven years from the date of filing or five years from the date of grant whichever is shorter, and with the new regime, Indian patents will have a validity of 20 years from the date of filing. If India was granting only process patents for discoveries related to drugs and chemicals unlike in U.S., India would give product patents for drug discoveries in future. Similarly, plant patent and DNA sequence patent may be allowed in the new patent regime in the country, said Chandrasekharan, while elaborating the patent processes.

As per the latest patent rules, elaborate specifications are required while filing applications. Time for restoration of a ceased patent has now increased from 12 months to 18 months. Every patent will now be published just after 18 months from the date of filing/priority, with provisions for verifications, scrutiny, review etc. after the period, said Chandrasekharan.

Dr. S.Thanikachalam, vice chancellor of the Sree Ramachandra Deemed University and Medical College, inaugurated the workshop. V. Somasundaram, Dean of Faculty, Sree Ramachandra Deemed University and Medical College, and Dr.K.Karuppiah, Principal of Sri Ramachandra College of Management spoke on the occasion. According to Joy Chakraborthy, Asst. Administrator, Sree Ramachandra Deemed University and Medical College, more than 150 delegates from different parts of South India participated in the two-day conference from March 16-17, 2004.