The Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre (IPFC), Gujarat has been set up under the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST), Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat, at Gandhinagar, in collaboration with the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, New Delhi.
IPFC works to promote awareness, understanding, and adoption of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) across Gujarat and to support stakeholders in protecting, managing, and leveraging their innovations and creative outputs. The Centre serves as a facilitation point for students, researchers, innovators, startups, MSMEs, academic institutions, and other stakeholders by guiding them through the IP journey from initial awareness and idea assessment to documentation, filing facilitation, and follow-up support.
The Centre provides facilitation support across multiple forms of IP, including patents, industrial designs, trademarks, copyrights, geographical indications (GI), and other allied IP matters. In addition, IPFC undertakes capacity-building and outreach activities such as IPR awareness programmes, training workshops, expert sessions, and stakeholder handholding, with the broader objective of strengthening Gujarat’s innovation ecosystem and creating a robust, innovation-driven IP culture in the State.
OBJECTIVES
- Creating awareness and understanding relating to patents and the challenges and opportunities in this area including arranging workshops, seminars, conferences etc.
- Providing patenting facilities to scientists and technologists in the country for Indian and foreign patents on a sustained basis
- Keeping a watch on developments in the area of IPR and make important issues known to policy makers Scientists, Industry etc.
- Introducing patent information as a vital input in the process of promotion of R&D programmes sustained basis
- IPFC Brochure
- Awareness Workshops (at GUJCOST and at Universities)
- Training in IPR
- Seminars in IPR
- Patent Searches and Filling
- Trademark Registration
- Design Registration
- IPRs Filling Assistance
- Analysis of Patent Information
- GI Filling
- Email: ipfc-gujcost[at]gujarat[dot]gov[dot]in
- Google form link and QR Code for IP related queries:Click Here
IPR Center of Excellence
Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre (IPFC) at GUJCOST has also established Center of Excellence (CoE) on IPR Laws, Policies and Practices at Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) in the year of 2014.
The collaborative GNLU-GUJCOST, research center of excellence on IPR Laws, Policies and Practices will enhance legal education, research, training in the area of IPR laws. CoE aims to provide a platform for legal research and policy formulation to address various issues and experience underpinning IPR.
The CoE will conduct research, training and education activities in patent law, identification and valuation of IP assets of MSME, laws related to plant varieties, bio technology, pharmaceuticals, traditional knowledge and Geographical Indications.
Establishing CoE in IPR is a unique idea and first of its kind in order to promote in-depth research and dissemination of IPR. The establishment is a proactive step taken by GUJCOST to promote and encourage patenting culture in the state as well as to contribute more knowledge in the domain of IPR through research by CoE.
FAQs
There are seven types of IP that can be protected in India. They are namely Patents, Copyright, Trademarks, Industrial Design, Geographical Indication, Plant Varieties, Layout Design of Integrated Circuits, and Trade Secrets.
An invention relating either to a product or process that is new, involving inventive step and capable of industrial application can be patented. However, it must not fall into the categories of inventions that are non- patentable under section 3 and 4 of The Patent Act 1970.
A patent application can be filed either by true and first inventor or his assignee, either alone or jointly with any other person. However, legal representative of any deceased person can also make an application for patent.
A patent application can be filed with Indian Patent Office either with complete specification or with provisional specification along with fee as prescribed in schedule I. In case the application is filed with provisional specification, then one has to file complete specification within 12 months from the date of filing of the application. There is no extension of time to file complete specification after expiry of said period. We at IPFC, GUJCOST can help you through the patent filing process. Please fill in IDF form available on our website and come and meet us.
IPFC can help you assess your invention in the light of prior art (already existing inventions, literature etc.) to establish patentability. It can help you in preparing patent specification and filing process. It can also help you with the registration of other forms of IP.
An invention to become patentable subject matter must meet the following criteria - It should be novel. It should have inventive step or it must be non-obvious It should be capable of Industrial application. It should not fall within the provisions of section 3 and 4 of the Patents Act 1970. IPFC, GUJCSOT can help you in assessing whether your invention satisfies the above criterion or not.
It is the search done to find out whether a particular invention is patentable or not. In this search, study is done to check whether or not a particular invention meets all three criteria of patentability 1.e. novelty, non-obviousness and industrial applicability. Considering the costs involved in the patent registration, getting this Search done can save lot of cost if invention turns out to be non-patentable during the search. We at IPFC GUJCOST are trained and experienced in conducting these searches.
Patent attorneys and consultants charge for patentability search depending on the level of search you seek. We at GUJCOST currently offer this service without any cost in order to encourage patenting Culture.
PAS stands for Prior Art Search Report. At IPFC GUJCOST we analyze your patent in light of already existing patents, literature and other forms of publications and provide detailed PAS report consisting of whether your invention is novel and satisfies patenting criteria or not. We also provide suggestions on further steps depending on details found in Prior Art.
No, IPFC will not provide financial assistance for developing your invention. We provide technical and procedural support inpatent filing and other forms of IP filing.
Please download and fill in the Invention Disclosure Form (IDF) and submit to IPFC GUJCOST. You also need to meet one of thepersonnel at IPFC GUJCOST and present/explain your invention in detail to take further action.
Generally, a patent application for the invention which has been either published or publicly displayed cannot be filed. However, the Patents Act provides a grace period of 12 months for filing of patent application from the date of its publication in a journal or its public display in an exhibition organized by the Government or disclosure before any learned society or published by applicant. The details conditions are provided under Chapter VI of the Patent Act 1970 (Section 29-34).
A patent specification can be prepared by the applicant himself or his registered and authorized agent. The patent specification generally comprises of the title of the invention indicating its technical field, prior art, draw backs in the prior art, the solution provided by the inventor to obviate the drawbacks of the prior art, a concise but sufficient description of the invention and its usefulness, drawings (if Any) and details of best method of its working. The complete specification must contain at least one claim or statement of claims defining the scope of the invention for which protection is sought for. At IPFC GUJCOST we can help you in the preparing patent specification.
Indian Patent Law follows first to file system. Provisional specification describes the nature of the invention to have the priority date of filing of the application in which the inventive idea has been disclosed. It must be followed by a complete specification describing the details of the invention along with a statement of claims within 12 months after filing of the provisional application. If the complete specification is not filed within the prescribed period, the application is treated as deemed to have been abandoned.
If your invention is complete, it is not necessary to file an application with provisional specification and one can file application directly with complete specification. However, provisional application is useful in establishing a priority date for your invention and gives sufficient time to assess and evaluate the market potential before filing complete specification.
Yes. Your information is safe with use. We only use your information to provide support for filing patent. Information about your invention is not disclosed to anyone except for the people who are supporting patent process for your application.
