An invention’s exclusive rights are awarded by a patent, a type of intellectual property right that is recognized by law and protected by it. Patents protect a certain amount of time for human intellectual works, just like any other IPR.
To safeguard technical inventions, patents are issued. An exclusive right given for innovation is referred to as a “patent.” But not all innovations may be secured by patents, and not all inventions need to be protected exclusively by patents.
An inventor who applies for a patent receives a temporary exclusive right from the government following legislation in exchange for disclosing the technical details of the invention. The Patent Specification makes this disclosure. Before the Patent Office, which reviews applications and issues patents, Patent Specifications are filed in detail.
The Indian Patent Office (IPO) conducts the annual Indian Patent Agent Examination, which calls for in-depth familiarity with the Indian Patent Act as well as proficiency in the formulation and interpretation of patent claims. From 2000 until 2008, the Patent Agent Test was held in India around once per year. Ever since then, the exams are quite irregular and the last one was conducted in 2018. Here is what one should know about preparation Indian patent agent exam.
About Indian Patent Agent Exam
The Office of The Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks, a division of the Indian Patents Office, Government of India, conducts the Patent Agent Examination in India. These agents can begin working as patent agents after completing the examination.
Law firms, IP firms, and international businesses that specialize in patents all have a high need for patent agents. Like lawyers and Chartered Accountants, patent agents can begin their practices. The exam of the patent agent is conducted based on the number of applicants for the exam and overall demand. When there is a huge influx of candidates, the government seizes the exam for a few years.
Only online registration is available for the 2020 Patent Agent Exam. On the government portal, you may apply for the Patent Agent Exam. The government price for the 2020 Patent Agent Exam is Rs. 1600, and it can be paid online at the time of registration.
Structure Of The Exam
The exam is divided into three parts; 1, 2, and 3. There are three components in Part 1: Part A (60 marks), Part B (10 marks), and Part C (30 Marks). Part A has 30 multiple-choice questions worth a total of 60 marks. The question has 4 options in form of true and false options. Part B is of 10 marks with two option true and false questions. Part C is worth 30 marks and consists of 10 questions with multiple-choice answers worth 3 points each.
There are three sections to Part 2 of the paper: Part A (20 points), Part B (30 points), and Part C. (50 Marks). Parts A and B’s questions must be answered in full. Part C is divided into Parts C1 and C2, each with 20 and 30 marks. Part C1 has 2 marks. Part C2 consists of 2 questions, and the candidate must respond to any 1 of them. Part C1 consists of 4 questions, and the candidate must respond to any 1 of them. Part 3 of the paper is a viva vice exam.
Eligibility Criteria
The ones with Indian nationality are the ones who are eligible for the exam. Also, the candidate should be 21 years or more. One science-related graduate degree is required, such as a B.Sc., M.Sc., B.Pharm., M.Pharm., B.E., M.E., B.Tech., M.Tech., or Ph.D. from a university recognized by Indian law. As long as they can provide their final transcripts, mark sheets, etc. within two months of the announcement of the results of the Patent Agent Exam they are taking, candidates in their final year are also eligible.
Few Tips For Preparation
Prepping for exams is not an easy task. Here are some useful tips for preparation Indian patent agent exam:
- Learn the fundamentals of all types of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, designs, and geographical indications, before being familiar with any terms used about those rights.
- Read the revised annexure for information on forms and costs.
- To fully comprehend the topic, go through contemporary case law. In the viva, you can encounter questions based on case law.
- It is crucial to analyze and comprehend every piece.
- Connect each rule to its corresponding section.
- Read the most recent edition of The Patents Act carefully, taking note of all the modifications, then consult the Indian Patent Office’s, Patent Manual.
- Identify frequently requested problems by solving past year’s test questions.
- Learn how to effectively manage your time, especially while composing questions for patent specifications.
- Understand the meanings of sections and rules. Explain how the sections and the regulations differ and work together.
- Learn the structure and anatomy of patent specifications by downloading several patents from free sources.
- Practice creating claim-inclusive patent specifications.
A patent agent who is knowledgeable about both patent law and technology will have strong prospects at both the law firm and the IP division of any R&D-focused company. Drafting, filing, prosecuting, and doing other sorts of patent searches are all potential employment areas. A patent agent’s career may always be expanded into more specialized fields like patent value, technology commercialization, intellectual property management, etc.
