Funds scarcity hits patent filing at GTU
Several innovators are unable to file for their patents due to lack of funds
Yogesh.Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, July 25, 2013
Yogesh.Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, July 25, 2013
http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20130725201307250230352158dcb0926/Funds-scarcity-hits-patent-filing-at-GTU.html
Though Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has been able to provide a conducive atmosphere to promote research and innovation on campus, fund scarcity has hit hard innovators who cannot afford to pay the fee of patent filling. Despite the best of the efforts of GTU, several students have not been able to register their patents as they can’t bear the cost of filing and there is no funding agency to save them from the situation.
GTU Vice-Chancellor Akshai Aggarwal said: “The varsity organises workshops on regular intervals to create awareness on research and innovation and provide logistic support to file for patent. In fact, we have trained 2,000 teachers and 3,000 students for this purpose. In 2012, 177 patents were filed by students and faculty. ” The varsity has set up GTU Innovative Council that aids students’ projects and help in filing for patent. “Neither any agency nor the state government help us to fund patent filing. We also want to put in place a mechanism that will help students search if anyone has ever done advance d research in the field of his project or innovation,” the VC said.
COLLEGE CAN FUND
Aggarwal said: “There are institutes which have sufficient funds to aid patent filing. If they provide monetary help to their students, it will bring laurels to their college, too. About 4,662 students and faculty had shown interest in filing for patents but only 177 could do so.” “We call eminent lawyers at the workshops who guide students. This brings down the cost of legal expenditure in the process significantly,” he said.
A source in GTU Innovative Council said: “About 200 students have good projects on hand. But they don’t have money to file for patent which requires a minimum of Rs 25,000. At international level, the cost could be anything between Rs 1.5 lakh and 2 lakh. GTU has no fund to help students. A few colleges have funded the filing but the royalty goes to them and not to the student who has innovated the product. A student who doesn’t have money would lose his rightful due.”
STUDENTS SPEAK
Pratik Shah, who took loan to file for his patent, said: “We work hard on our projects. But even after innovating good products, we couldn’t file for patent because it is a costly affair. I could arrange for the fee with the help of friends. Even advocates charge good money for patent filing.” “We have requests more than 150 teams of students for financial help pending at Techpedia. If a support system is put in place, we have the capacity to see more than 500 patents being filed every year from GTU,” said Hiranmay Mahanta , Md Techpedia which is associated with GTU Innovation Council.
Sharad Langde, who was not able to file for patent due to fund scarcity, said: “Most students don’t know the procedure for filing a patent. GTU workshops help but only to a certain extent. Even legal experts charge good money. I don’t have money to file for patent. GTU must set up an agency that can fund patent filing if a student cannot meet the cost.”
Though Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has been able to provide a conducive atmosphere to promote research and innovation on campus, fund scarcity has hit hard innovators who cannot afford to pay the fee of patent filling. Despite the best of the efforts of GTU, several students have not been able to register their patents as they can’t bear the cost of filing and there is no funding agency to save them from the situation.
GTU Vice-Chancellor Akshai Aggarwal said: “The varsity organises workshops on regular intervals to create awareness on research and innovation and provide logistic support to file for patent. In fact, we have trained 2,000 teachers and 3,000 students for this purpose. In 2012, 177 patents were filed by students and faculty. ” The varsity has set up GTU Innovative Council that aids students’ projects and help in filing for patent. “Neither any agency nor the state government help us to fund patent filing. We also want to put in place a mechanism that will help students search if anyone has ever done advance d research in the field of his project or innovation,” the VC said.
COLLEGE CAN FUND
Aggarwal said: “There are institutes which have sufficient funds to aid patent filing. If they provide monetary help to their students, it will bring laurels to their college, too. About 4,662 students and faculty had shown interest in filing for patents but only 177 could do so.” “We call eminent lawyers at the workshops who guide students. This brings down the cost of legal expenditure in the process significantly,” he said.
A source in GTU Innovative Council said: “About 200 students have good projects on hand. But they don’t have money to file for patent which requires a minimum of Rs 25,000. At international level, the cost could be anything between Rs 1.5 lakh and 2 lakh. GTU has no fund to help students. A few colleges have funded the filing but the royalty goes to them and not to the student who has innovated the product. A student who doesn’t have money would lose his rightful due.”
STUDENTS SPEAK
Pratik Shah, who took loan to file for his patent, said: “We work hard on our projects. But even after innovating good products, we couldn’t file for patent because it is a costly affair. I could arrange for the fee with the help of friends. Even advocates charge good money for patent filing.” “We have requests more than 150 teams of students for financial help pending at Techpedia. If a support system is put in place, we have the capacity to see more than 500 patents being filed every year from GTU,” said Hiranmay Mahanta , Md Techpedia which is associated with GTU Innovation Council.
Sharad Langde, who was not able to file for patent due to fund scarcity, said: “Most students don’t know the procedure for filing a patent. GTU workshops help but only to a certain extent. Even legal experts charge good money. I don’t have money to file for patent. GTU must set up an agency that can fund patent filing if a student cannot meet the cost.”
