Patent applications filed by Indian applicants was 25 percent of the total number of applications filed in the year 2013-14 as compared to 22 percent in the year 2012-13 and 20 percent in the year 2011-12. The factors responsible for low percentage of patent applications filed by Indian applicants may include the lack of awareness about the patent system and its benefits, lack of proper planning by Indian industry for building of patent portfolio and lack of modern research facilities in Indian industry.

The office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) has taken many proactive steps to increase awareness among the Indian industry / citizens. During the year 2013-14, the office of CGPDTM conducted 28 awareness programmes, sent its officers as Resource Persons to 96 awareness programmes organized by World Intellectual Property Offices (WIPO), Universities, Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) and Industry Associations and organized 12 such programmes in association with Industry Associations especially for small industry clusters. In 2014-15, so far the office of CGPDTM has organized or participated in 81 such programmes including 6 seminars in collaboration with WIPO, Knowledge Expo at Delhi, Design Summit in collaboration with National Design Institute (NID), 10 programmes in collaboration with State Governments. Also, the office of CGPDTM sent its officers as Resource Persons to 49 such programmes conducted by other organizations.

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

Patent awareness drives outreach to increase domestic filings through industry and institutional programs and capacity building. Low domestic participation in patenting reflects limited awareness of the patent system, weak industry planning for a patent portfolio, and inadequate research infrastructure. The national patent office responded with outreach and capacity-building measures: in-house awareness programmes, officers serving as resource persons at external events, and collaborative seminars with international and national partners and State Governments to promote strategic filing and support small industry clusters.