Kolkata: To streamline its intellectual property (IP) management processes, Calcutta University (CU) has announced the centralisation of all IP-related matters under its dedicated Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cell.
According to a recent notification issued by Registrar Debasis Das, the IPR Cell will serve as the central administrative body responsible for managing all IP-related activities within the university. This includes patents, copyrights, trademarks, geographical indications, trade secrets, industrial designs, plant variety protections, semiconductor integrated circuit layout designs and databases — covering all stages from filing and prosecution to grant and commercialisation.
The university stated that the restructuring aligns with its broader objective of fostering innovation and promoting contemporary ideas to nurture a vibrant and creative ecosystem. It also seeks to ensure strict compliance with CU’s institutional IP policy.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Das said: “Many professors and researchers have been filing patents independently without routing them through the university. As a result, CU neither received due credit nor revenue, despite the fact that institutional approval is typically required for such filings.”
“With this centralisation, we aim to ensure the university receives due recognition. At the same time, the IPR Cell will support and guide new faculty members and scientists unfamiliar with IP processes to secure their innovations through patents, copyrights and design protections and help them move toward commercialisation,” he added.