International Patent Drafting Competition

Patents are a major area of business proficiency nowadays and recently in India too, it has become as important as marketing, finance, corporate governance, and manufacturing economics. India’s growing R&D operations have taken a beating due to lack of in-house professionals to file patents applications. Even then, the numbers clearly indicate that there is a great deal of patenting activity going on among companies across India. Patent Specification, besides being the most important document in the entire patent registration procedure, is also considered to be one of the most complex Techno-Legal documents. Drafting of Patent Specification is a device of great importance and thus should not be left to a layman to design it. It is extremely important to use carefully selected language to describe an invention to satisfy requirements both in legal terms as well as in technical terms. Selection of the right words may prove tricky when the draft-person is an amateur. Unclear and indefinite languages used in the specification are always likely to draw competitors, or any person concerned to invalidate or oppose the patent or the patent application. And not only is the language significant, satisfying the requirements of patentability is equally vital.

And here is exactly where the International Patent Drafting Competition (IPDC) plays a crucial role in bringing greater awareness and respect for Patents in a coveted and competitive way. IPDC through its nationwide reach will aim to promote development of Patent Drafting as a Skill Set, encouraging more and more technical people to take up Patent Drafting as a Professional Competency and also identifying and honoring Top Patent Drafters in the Country. This initiative of IPDC comes with an earnest effort by IIPRD, its associates, leading sister Law Firm, Khurana & Khurana IP and Attorneys (K&K) and Sughrue Mion. Other partners serving us in this endeavour are TIFAC, PAAI, Spicy IP, IBLJ and Lex Witness.

IPDC commences on 1^st of August 2017, when IIPRD and K&K will put forth on their respective websites (www.iiprd.com and www.khuranaandkhurana.com) three invention disclosures, one each in three different domains (Electronics/ Hi-Tech, Mechanical and Chemistry/Pharmaceuticals). The IPDC will be active till 20^th August 2017, within which timeframe, Eligible Participants would need to write Complete Patent Specifications (along with Drawings, if applicable) which complies with the Indian Patent Act. Please note that one participant can file only one Patent Specification which will be one domain of his choice.

Complete details of the modus-operandi of the Competition can also be seen here.

Any Practitioner having a Technical/Science Background is eligible to participate in the Competition. So for instance, the Participant could be a student, a practicing Attorney, an in-house counsel, a scientist, a faculty, or any other stakeholder having a technical qualification.

In order to enable serious participants to submit their specification, a small Participation Fees of INR 1000 (USD 50) is to be submitted by each participant, which can either be paid by means of Bank Transfer or though a DD or a Cheque in favor of “IIPRD”. The Draft should reach IIPRD’s Office by 20th August 2017.

Drafted Patent Application can be sent to [email protected] or can be sent in Hard Copy to IIPRD’s, Greater Noida Office. In either way, drafted patent applications should be received by IIPRD on or before 20th August 2017.

Evaluation of the Drafts would be done collectively by representatives from each International Law Firm and Khurana & Khurana, IP Attorneys, coordinated by IIPRD. Their collective decision on selection of the Winners will stand final and shall not be open to change in any manner. The Winners will be decided based on a combination of numerous factors (such as flow of the Specification, Scope covered through embodiments, Claim drafting strategy and Accurary of technical coverage).

On 1^st September 2017, two winners for each technology domain would be announced on the websites of IIPRD and K&K.On around 28^th September 2017 (to be confirmed soon), during the 3-Days International Pharmaceutical Patent Conference being organized by IIPRD at Hotel Hilton (Andheri East) Mumbai, prize distribution of the winners would take place form 1700 hrs to 1800 hrs, wherein the first winner for technology domain would be given a price of Rupees One Lakh Only (INR 100000) or USD 2000, and the second winner for each technology domain would be given a prize of Rupees Fifty Thousand Only (INR 50000) or USD 1000.

For any of your query/question, please feel free to write to [email protected], and/or call 0120-4296878/2342010 and speak with Mr. R. Srinivas.