Intellectual Property Rights

About Intellectual Property Rights

The subject introduces students to the primary forms of intellectual property, their registration processes, ownership rights, infringement, legal remedies, international conventions and modern challenges created by the internet, biotechnology and electronic commerce.

Course Objectives

1. To enable students to understand the primary forms of Intellectual Property Rights.
2. To enable students to understand copyright infringement and its consequences.
3. To introduce the criteria and procedure for obtaining patents.
4. To enable students to understand registration procedures related to IPR.
5. To expose students to contemporary issues and enforcement policies in IPR.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Explain the meaning, nature and justification of intellectual property.
• Differentiate copyright, patents, trademarks, designs and geographical indications.
• Describe ownership, registration, licensing and infringement procedures.
• Explain legal remedies available for violation of intellectual property rights.
• Understand major international IPR conventions and organizations.
• Analyse modern IPR issues involving the internet, biotechnology and e-commerce.

Complete IT 604(A) Syllabus

Unit I – Introduction

Introduction and justifications of IPR, nature of intellectual property, major forms of intellectual property including copyright, patent, trademarks, designs, geographical indication, layout design of semiconductors and plant varieties. Concept and meaning of intellectual property. Major international documents relating to the protection of intellectual property including the Berne Convention, Paris Convention and TRIPS. World Intellectual Property Organization.

Unit II – Copyright

Meaning and historical development of copyright, subject matter, ownership, term of copyright, rights of owner, economic rights, moral rights, assignment and licence of rights, infringement, exceptions, remedies including civil, criminal and administrative remedies, and registration procedure.

Unit III – Patents

Meaning and historical development of patents, criteria for obtaining patents, non-patentable inventions, registration procedure, term of patent, rights of patentee, compulsory licence, revocation, patent infringement, exceptions, remedies, Patent Office and Appellate Board.

Unit IV – Trade Marks, Designs and Geographical Indications

Functions of marks, registration procedure, rights of holder, assignment and licensing, infringement, Trade Marks Registry and Appellate Board. Meaning and evolution of design protection, registration, term of protection, rights of holder and unregistered designs. Meaning and evolution of geographical indication, GI and trademark differences, registration, rights and authorised user.

Unit V – Contemporary Issues and Enforcement of IPR

IPR and sustainable development, impact of the internet on IPR, IPR issues in biotechnology, e-commerce and IPR issues, licensing and enforcement of IPR, and case studies in intellectual property.

Major Forms of Intellectual Property

How to Prepare This Subject for RGPV Examination

1. Learn the exact definition of every form of IPR.
2. Prepare comparison tables such as patent versus copyright and GI versus trademark.
3. Remember registration procedures in correct sequence.
4. Study ownership, term, rights, infringement and remedies together.
5. Practice convention-based questions on Berne, Paris, TRIPS and WIPO.
6. Prepare contemporary issues from Unit V as analytical answers.
7. Use headings, subheadings, flowcharts and examples in long answers.

Important RGPV Exam Questions

Long Answer Questions

1. Define intellectual property and explain the nature and justification of IPR.
2. Explain the major forms of intellectual property rights.
3. Write detailed notes on the Berne Convention, Paris Convention and TRIPS.
4. Explain the functions and role of WIPO.
5. Define copyright and explain its subject matter, ownership and term.
6. Explain economic rights and moral rights of a copyright owner.
7. Explain copyright infringement, exceptions and available remedies.
8. Explain the complete copyright registration procedure.
9. Define patent and explain the criteria for patentability.
10. Explain non-patentable inventions.
11. Explain the patent registration procedure.
12. Explain compulsory licence, revocation and infringement of patents.
13. Explain functions and registration of trademarks.
14. Explain infringement, assignment and licensing of trademarks.
15. Explain design protection and design registration.
16. Define geographical indication and differentiate GI from trademark.
17. Explain the impact of the internet on intellectual property rights.
18. Discuss IPR issues in biotechnology and e-commerce.
19. Explain licensing and enforcement of IPR.
20. Discuss the relationship between IPR and sustainable development.

Short Answer Questions

1. Define intellectual property.
2. What is copyright?
3. What are moral rights?
4. Define patentable invention.
5. What is a compulsory licence?
6. Define trademark.
7. What is geographical indication?
8. What is an authorised user of GI?
9. What is WIPO?
10. What is the TRIPS Agreement?
11. Define industrial design.
12. What is IPR infringement?

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