In order to create awareness about Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) among the students of technical institutions, The Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST) is in talks with various varsities in Punjab to introduce IPR as additional subject in their curriculum. The department would provide the content and course material to the varsities for the subject.
Speaking to Business Standard, PSCST Executive Director Neelima Jerath said, “To start with, we are in talks with Punjab Technical University (PTU) and Lovely Professional University (LPU) to introduce IPR as one of the subjects for students pursuing technical courses. After the introduction of IPR as a subject, it would be mandatory for the students to pass the exams. However grades would be awarded to the students in place of marks.”
It is worth mentioning that the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana has already introduced IPR including bio-diversity, bio-safety as a subject for students who are pursuing master’s degree in their curriculum on the recommendations of PSCST. The Punjab Technical University Jalandhar is also going to add contents on IPR in its paper ‘human values’ for different faculties.The faculty development programmes are also being run in the university to upgrade and train the teaching faculty about IPR contents, told a senior official of PTU.
Besides, all the polytechnic and ITI’s (Industrial Training Institutes) in the state has also introduced IPR as one of the subjects on the guidance and recommendations of the department. Besides, it also conducted training and sensitisation programmes for the faculties to create better understanding on various aspects and potential of IPR.
She added, “We are working close with the educational institutes and provides patent service to them. Its good that researchers, innovators in these institutes are coming forward to get their innovations patented through the Patent Information Centre (PIC) of the department. Their innovation is not only being recognised by the masses but also it creates awareness among the students about Intellectual Property Rights.”
Also, in order to facilitate the students, The PIC of the department has already established IPR cell in seven universities of the state namely Punjab Agricultural University, Punjabi University, Baba Farid University, Punjab Technical University, Guru Nanak Dev University and Lovely Professional University. The department has also set up 12 IPR clubs in all these universities and five colleges — Chitkara University, Rayat & Bahra, NIT-Jalandhar, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology.
