This book aims to provide students as well as professionals an overview of the patents system and relevant study material for qualifying in the Patent Agent Examination. It explains in detail the Indian Patent Act and Rules, licensing agreements and how to draft them, petitions, fees, timelines and forms. Besides, the book contains model answers to previous years' question papers and tips on the viva voce, which is the final frontier. Students should be well versed with the Indian Patent Act and Rules to qualify in the Patent Agent Examination; therefore, all Sections and Rules have been explained simply and in a consolidated table, and the model answers to the previous years' questions given in the book have been drafted in consultation with patent law experts. The book will be an immensely valuable resource to both professional Patent Agents and those who aspire to make a career in the complex but fascinating world of patents.

Contents
Preface ................................................................................................. vii
Foreword............................................................................................... ix
Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. xi
Contents ............................................................................................. xiii
CHAPTER 1
Introduction .................................................................................. 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 1
1.2 INDIAN PATENTS ACT .................................................................. 3
1.3 OFFICE OF THE CONTROLLER GENERAL OF PATENTS, DESIGNS
AND TRADE MARKS (CGPDTM) ........................................... 6
1.4 PATENT AGENTS AND THEIR ROLE .............................................12
1.5 PATENT AGENT EXAMINATION .....................................................13
1.6 REGISTRATION AS A PATENT AGENT ...........................................14
CHAPTER 2
Patentable Inventions ................................................................. 19
2.1 CONDITIONS OF PATENTABILITY .................................................19
2.2 NON-PATENTABLE INVENTIONS ...................................................20
CHAPTER 3
Procedure of Applying for a Patent .............................................. 29
3.1 WHO CAN FILE AN APPLICATION FOR PATENT ............................29
3.2 WHERE TO APPLY [RULE 4] .......................................................30
3.3 TYPES OF APPLICATIONS .............................................................30
3.4 FILING AN APPLICATION [SECTION 7(2) AND RULE 10] ..............32
CHAPTER 4
Documents for Submission ......................................................... 37
4.1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................37
CHAPTER 5
Patent Prosecution ...................................................................... 47
5.1 FILING AN APPLICATION FOR A PATENT ACCOMPANIED
WITH PROVISIONAL/COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(SECTIONS 7 AND 9) ............................................................47
5.2 SPECIFICATION COVERING SINGLE INVENTION
(SECTION 10(5) AND SECTION 16) .......................................61
5.3 PATENT OF ADDITION (SECTION 54 – SECTION 56) ...................63
5.4 PRIORITY DATE OF AN APPLICATION (SECTION 11) .....................64
5.5 APPLICATION FOR PATENT TO BE FIRST FILED IN INDIA
BY INDIAN RESIDENTS (SECTIONS 39, 40 AND
RULE 71) .............................................................................66
5.6 DATE OF PATENT AND RIGHTS OF THE PATENTEE
(SECTIONS 45, 48 AND 62) .................................................66
5.7 EXAMINATION OF AN APPLICATION (SECTION 11B,
RULE 24B, RULE 20(4)(II) AND SECTION 12 &
RULE 24B) ..........................................................................67
5.8 TIME FOR PUTTING AN APPLICATION IN ORDER OF GRANT
[SECTION 21 AND RULE 24B(4)] .........................................68
5.9 GRANT OF PATENT AND ITS MAINTENANCE
(SECTIONS 43, 53) ...............................................................68
5.10 RESTORATION OF LAPSED PATENT (SECTIONS 60, 61
AND RULE 84) .....................................................................69
5.11 SURRENDER OF PATENTS (SECTION 63 AND RULE 87) ................71
5.12 AMENDMENT OF THE PATENT (SECTIONS 57, RULES 81
AND 82) ..............................................................................73
5.13 PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A PATENT .......................................75
CHAPTER 6
Patent Cooperation Treaty .......................................................... 79
6.1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................79
6.2 PCT TIME LINES ......................................................................84
6.3 FILING AN INTERNATIONAL PATENT APPLICATION
THROUGH PCT ....................................................................85
6.4. THE LIST OF COUNTRIES WHICH ARE
SIGNATORY TO PCT .............................................................88
CHAPTER 7
Opposition and Revocation ......................................................... 91
7.1 PRE-GRANT OPPOSITION (SECTION 25(1) AND RULE 55) ............92
7.2 POST-GRANT OPPOSITION (SECTION 25(2) AND RULE 55A) ..... 100
7.3 COMPARISON BETWEEN PRE AND POST-GRANT OPPOSITION ....... 105
7.4 REVOCATION OF PATENT (SECTION 64) .................................. 106
CHAPTER 8
Working of Patents and Compulsory Licensing ..........................109
8.1 WORKING OF PATENTS (SECTION 83) ..................................... 109
8.2 COMPULSORY LICENSE ............................................................. 110
8.3 GRANT OF COMPULSORY LICENSE IN CASE OF NATIONAL
EMERGENCY [SECTION 92] ................................................. 122
8.4 GRANT OF COMPULSORY LICENSE FOR EXPORT OF
‘PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCT’—INTRODUCTION .................... 122
8.5 LICENSING OF RELATED PATENTS (SECTION 91) ...................... 129
CHAPTER 9
Powers of the Controller ............................................................131
9.1 POWERS OF THE CONTROLLER ................................................ 131
9.2 POWERS OF THE CONTROLLER GENERALLY .............................. 131
9.3 POWERS OF THE CONTROLLER SPECIFICALLY ............................. 133
CHAPTER 10
Penalties and Secrecy Directions ................................................139
10.1 PENALTIES .............................................................................. 139
10.2 SECRECY DIRECTIONS .............................................................. 141
10.3 CONTRAVENTION OF THE DIRECTIONS IMPOSED
(SECTION 39 AND SECTION 40) ......................................... 144
CHAPTER 11
Access to Patent Informtion .......................................................145
11.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 145
11.2 PUBLICATIONS IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE ................................ 146
11.3 PATENT REGISTER (SECTION 67) ............................................. 146
11.4 INSPECTION OF REGISTER OF PATENT (SECTION 72
AND RULE 95) .................................................................. 147
11.5 DUPLICATE CERTIFICATE OF PATENT (SECTION 154 AND
RULE 132) ....................................................................... 147
11.6 INFORMATION RELATED TO PATENTS (SECTION 153 AND
RULE 134) ....................................................................... 148
11.7 REPORTS OF EXAMINERS CANNOT BE ACCESSED
(SECTION 144) ................................................................. 148
CHAPTER 12
Infringement and Defences .......................................................151
12.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 151
12.2 INFRINGING ACTIVITIES ............................................................ 152
12.3 NON-INFRINGING ACTIVITIES ................................................... 152
12.4 JURISDICTION .......................................................................... 159
12.5 BURDEN OF PROOF ................................................................ 160
12.6 RELIEFS .................................................................................. 160
12.7 APPELLATE BOARD................................................................... 161
12.8 PARALLEL PROCEEDINGS .......................................................... 164
12.9 INTERIM INJUNCTION .............................................................. 164
12.10 RELIEF IN CASE OF GROUNDLESS THREATS
OF INFRINGEMENT ............................................................. 165
CHAPTER 13
Model Answers to Previous Year Question Papers .....................169
CHAPTER 14
Viva-voce ....................................................................................307
14.1 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON PATENTS .......................... 308
14.2 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON COPYRIGHT ...................... 324
14.3 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON TRADEMARKS .................... 330
14.4 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON GEOGRAPHICAL
INDICATIONS ...................................................................... 338
Appendices
APPENDIX A
Table Containing Sections & Corresponding Rules,
Time Lines, Forms and Fees.................................................349
APPENDIX B
Patents Act 1970 .........................................................................361
APPENDIX C
Draft Manual of Patent Practice and Procedure
The Patent Office, India .......................................................567
APPENDIX D
Patent Cooperation Treaty .......................................................1031
APPENDIX E
List of Abbreviations ................................................................1077

Sheetal Chopra is a Registered Patent Agent. She is presently the Senior Assistant Director, FICCI Institute of Intellectual Property Development. Her job includes preparing research papers on policy issues; providing business solutions to industry and government through research and analysis; liaising with eminent government officials in India and worldwide; and designing training modules for public awareness and capacity building programmes for enforcement agencies, academicians, legal practitioners, industry professionals and students. Her experience includes working with the intellectual property department of a multinational pharmaceutical company, where her work included drafting patent applications, designing search strategies, searching prior art, patent landscaping, filing patent applications in India and abroad, responding to office actions, maintenance of patents so as to keep them enforced, patentability assessments, filing oppositions and assisting in providing freedom-to-operate opinions.
Akash Taneja is a senior civil servant and an expert on intellectual property. He is presently the Executive Director, FICCI Institute of Intellectual Property Development. He founded the National Intellectual Property Organization, a voluntary organisation for protection, promotion and development of intellectual property. He is a visiting faculty member at numerous academic and training institutions of national repute.