State govt joins hands with MAKAUT to bring new courses

Kolkata: The state Science, Technology and Biotechnology department has joined hands with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT) to start a post-graduate diploma and a certificate course on Intellectual Property Rights and Technology Business Management. The courses will start from the current academic year.

"The courses deal with the nitty-gritties about the things for which one can apply for patent, how to draft the patent and successfully apply for it. MAKAUT wanted our collaboration for commencing this course and we have agreed. An MoU has already been inked and the formal announcement regarding the initiative will be made soon," said Bratya Basu, state minister of Science, Technology and Biotechnology, during his address at the annual pre-counseling event and seminar at Netaji Indoor Stadium organised by Association of Professional Academic Institutions (APAI).

MAKAUT vice-chancellor Saikat Maitra said that the post-graduate diploma course will be of 1 year duration, while the certificate course will be of six month duration.

"The experts in the patent cell of the state Science, Technology and Biotechnology department will involve themselves in imparting education to those pursuing this course and the certificate after completion will be given by MAKAUT," he said.

The course will be beneficial for those who want to do a start-up regarding Intellectual Property.

"It is a job oriented course and we have plans to start a three-year degree course on this subject in near future," Maitra added. Each of the courses (diploma and certificate) will have 30 seats and graduates will be eligible to apply.