CGC and Shoolini University Patents
Patenting is a major measure for protecting innovations. A research has proven that university patents are the sole cause of a country’s economic growth. In fact, I believe that all universities should focus on patent policy to promote the IP culture.
In this blog, few institutes and universities, that are doing a commendable job in research, will be discussed. The first in line would be Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Landran.
CGC Landran has one of the most competitive campuses in India today. It started its IP Cell in 2014. It has a strong in-house IP Cell to promote the culture of patents and research within the campus. CGC Landran has provided a great fusion of research and innovation, for both faculties and students.
The students and faculties from all departments participate in this, and amazingly, these faculty members and students own joint patents together.
With more than 600 patent applications filed, CGC Landran consecutively for the last 3 years has successfully been able to grab a position in the top 10 patent filers, according to patent annual report by Patent Office.
That’s not all, as per the latest patent annual report, CGC Landran has made its way into top 5 Indian applicants for patents in the field of Information Technology along with Wipro and TATA Consultancy.
Areas where CGC Landran innovators are filing maximum number of patents is Information Technology, computer science, data signaling, image recognition, I.O.T, machine learning, electronic vehicles, two wheeler vehicle.
Not only patents, but CGC have filed 30 designs.
According to me, CGC being a low profile college outside Punjab, has a huge potential only because it has understood the importance of interdisciplinary research and problem solving approach. Innovators there are focusing highly on the simple problems and coming up with basic yet innovative solutions.
The management of CGC, in the domain of IP, is highly commendable as it is providing support to thousands of students by making them eligible for becoming innovators. The remarkable research and innovation ecosystem of CGC is clearly reflected in their students’ careers.
The second university that will be discussed is located amidst breathtaking views of mountains and has been focusing on research activities on the Himalayas – Shoolini University.
This university has been in the top 10 patent filers in universities and institutions category thrice, i.e. 2015-2016, in 2017-2018 and in 2018-2019. Again, the data is from a patent annual report of Patent Office. Shoolini has patents exceeding 500. The university is encouraging research and innovation within the campus.
As per a recent report, Shoolini university also has 30 granted designs and is focusing on copyright and its own TM as well. Therefore, we can state that Shoolini University as a whole is concentrating on a complete IP portfolio.
Patent in universities is an important tool for encouraging the generation, protection, and commercialization of IP in universities and research institutes, and for this, universities must focus on developing strong IP Policy. The policy provides a structure and framework that can be used to promote the generation, protection, and commercialization of IP in research and technology organizations. Quintessentially, an IP policy mainly focuses on benefit sharing and ownership of IPRs, strategies for commercialization, and management of privately sponsored research, collaborative research, conflict of interest as well as other such issues.
Another thing that should be focused on is Industry-academic linkage. Have you ever wondered why foreign universities have more productive result? It is simply because their industry linkage is extremely strong.
There are many instances where universities have collaborated with industries for innovating in a specific domain, which gives a lot of exposure to its faculties and students helping them gain a position in these industries, leading to a lot of acknowledgment of the respective universities. This, in turn, encourages the entire academic ecosystem to do more research leading to useful inventions, leading the country in becoming the hub of research and development.
Therefore, all academics must focus on outcomes and making their students ready for life and then market, not only for a job. The students should have the dominant role in deciding what they want to do and the university’s role, hence, would be to support them by providing a perfect ecosystem. This will lead to an astounding change in India.