The government has reduced patent filing and processing fees charged on educational institutions by 80 per cent at par with similar concessions provided to startups under the Startup India initiative. The provision has been introduced by amending the patent rules.

“At the time of applying for patents, the innovators have to apply for these patents in the name of the institutions that have to pay fees for large applicants, which are very high and thus work as a disincentive. In this regard and to encourage greater participation of the educational institutions, who play a pivotal role in the country’s innovation, official fees payable by them in respect of various acts under the Patents Rules, 2003, have been reduced by way of the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2021, which came into effect on 21 September 2021,” Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said in a statement.

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DPIIT said educational institutions engage in many research activities, where professors/teachers and students generate several new technologies which need to be patented to facilitate commercialisation of the same. “High patenting fees present a restrictive element for getting these technologies patented and thus work as a disincentive for development of new technologies,” it added.