National IPR Agencies in India
In India, the administration of intellectual property is primarily managed under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
A. The CGPDTM
The central agency responsible for IP administration in India is the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (CGPDTM).
- It functions as a subordinate office under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
- Its main role is to carry out the statutory (legal) functions related to the granting of Patents and the registration of Trademarks, Designs, and Geographical Indications (GI).
To manage the massive volume of intellectual property across a large country, the CGPDTM supervises several specialized branch offices:
IPR Administration in India – Offices and Locations
S. No. | Office / Institution | Location(s) | Main Function |
1 | Patent Offices (including Design Wing) | Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai | Examination and granting of patents and industrial designs |
2 | Trade Marks Registry | Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai | Registration and protection of trademarks |
3 | Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) | Chennai | Registration and protection of Geographical Indications (GI tags) |
4 | Copyright Office | Delhi | Registration and protection of copyrights (literary, artistic, musical works) |
5 | Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Design Registry | Delhi | Protection of layout designs of semiconductor integrated circuits |
6 | Training & Information Centres (RGNIIPM & PIS) | Nagpur | Training, awareness, and information management related to IPR |
What is Intellectual Property (IP)?
The term intellectual property reflects the idea that the subject matter is a product of the mind or the intellect. It is an intangible creation of the human mind that is usually expressed or translated into a tangible form.
Intellectual property generally refers to creations of the mind, which include inventions, literary and artistic works, as well as symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce.
Territorial Jurisdiction of Patent Offices
An inventor cannot simply apply to any patent office. The appropriate office is determined by the applicant’s place of residence, their place of business, or the place where the invention actually originated. The territorial jurisdictions are divided as follows:
Patent Offices in India – Jurisdiction (Table)
Patent Office | Jurisdiction (States / UTs Covered) |
Chennai | Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Lakshadweep |
Mumbai | Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu |
New Delhi | Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Chandigarh |
Kolkata | Covers the remaining parts of India not included in the above jurisdictions |
B. The Dispute Resolution System (Important Legal Update)
Historically, if a person was unhappy with a decision made by the Controller of Patents or the Registrar of Trade Marks, they would file an appeal with the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), which was established in 2003.
However, it is important to note that the IPAB was officially abolished in April 2021 under the Tribunals Reforms Act. Today, the power to hear these appeals has been transferred to the respective High Courts and Commercial Courts of India to streamline the legal process.
