"Giving patent protection to such products will mainly benefit lawyers. They will earn more. It will also increase patenting of frivolous products," an official said.
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) had floated a discussion paper a year ago asking from stakeholders, including the industry chambers, whether granting patents to 'Jugaad' technology would be useful for the country.
As per the proposal,the patent protection for these products was to be called the "Utility Models". Such a practice is prevalent in 55 countries like China, Japan and Germany.
"We cannot give protection to products derived out of fixing nut and bolt here and there. There has to be some real innovation," the official said.
The discussion paper too had pointed out some downsides of the utility model of patenting. It had said evidence from several countries does not conclusively prove that granting patent protection to the 'Jugaad' products would catalyse domestic innovators.
However some experts argued that such a law would help small, medium and rural sector industries.
"Utility model is different from patent. It will be an advantage for rural people and would also give them recognition," National Intellectual Property Organisation Director T C James said. MORE
