What’s Protected?

Original works of authorship, such as books, articles, songs, photographs, sculptures, choreography, sound recordings, motion pictures, and other works.

Inventions, such as processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter as well as improvements to these.

Any word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others

Requirements to be Protected

A work must be original, creative and fixed in a tangible medium. An invention must be new, useful and non-obvious.

A mark must be distinctive (i.e., that is, it must be capable of identifying the source of a particular good)

Term of Protection

Author’s life plus 70 more years.20 years. For as long as the mark is used in commerce

Rights Granted

Right to control the reproduction, making of derivative works, distribution and public performance and display of the copyrighted works

Right to prevent others from making, selling using or importing the patented invention

Right to use the mark and to prevent others from using similar marks in a way that would cause a likelihood-of- confusion about the origin of the goods or services.

i) Preliminary documentation:

Whatever may be the source of the information (directly from the innovator, through a scout, through media or other channels), the preliminary document may generally contain the innovator's name, address, contact number, educational qualifications, occupation and the description of the innovation and the details of the traditional knowledge.

ii) Verification of practices and secondary documentation :

All the necessary details are collected from the innovator This is followed by a field visit by a team member where all the details are verified. All verified practices are stored physically as well as digitally in an electronic database.

It is absolutely necessary, that detailed documentation may be done with the help of people who understand technologies from different disciplines, i.e., technically specialized persons.

METHODS OF COLLECTION

A) SURVEYS & SUBMISSIONS BY VOLUNTEERS & STUDENTS
B) CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, SUMMIT & EXPOS , FAIRS & EXHIBITIONS

C) SPECIALIZED UNIT FOR INNOVATORS DEVELOPMENT

METHODS OF SELECTION

A) OUR IN-HOUSE SELECTION SEARCH PROCESS
B) ESTABLISHING ORIGINALITY/ ASCERTAINING UNIQUENESS: C) PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT (PIC)

Scouting involves extensive fieldwork to search for experimenters & knowledge experts in local communities. The scouting of innovations & traditional knowledge is to be achieved through the following modes:

A) SEEKING THROUGH OUR VOLUNTEERS
B) A LOCAL NETWORK OF GRASSROOTS INNOVATORS
C) SCANNING OF OLD LITERATURE
D) LOCAL & SOCIAL MEDIA
E) PARTNERING WITH OTHER NETWORKS IN SCOUTING & DOCUMENTATION
F) COMPETITION WITH PRIZES, ONLINE & OFFLINE PROGRAMS SUPPORT