In a written response to a question in Rajya Sabha, Y S Chowdary, Minister of State for Science and Technology said the CSIR has acquired 4,526 Indian patents while 8,839 have been been acquired from abroad.
The scientific body acquired 1,592 Indian patents in 2013-14, followed by 1,508 and 2,818 in the subsequent two financial periods.
He added that the CSIR has taken a series of steps to commercialise the patents, which includes encouraging start-ups and creation of an innovation fund to support the translation of patents into technologies.
The country's premier research body for science and technology has spent over Rs 50 crore on its maintenance over the last three years.
Institutes under the body that carry out research activities on a range of issues, spent around Rs 12.20 crore and Rs 38.65 crore for its annual maintenance.