Indian Patent Office granted record one lakh patents last year, GI registrations also increased

The Commerce and Industry Ministry on Saturday said the Patent Office has granted an unprecedented one lakh patents within a year. According to an official release, in the financial year 2023-24 alone, the Patent Office received an all-time high of 90,300 patent applications. The Patent Office granted more than one lakh patents in the last 1 year (15-Mar-2023 to 14-Mar-2024).

The ministry said 250 patents were granted every working day. Along with patent grants, there has been a significant increase in GI registrations, showing a three-fold increase over the previous year. Currently, there are 573 registered GIs in India with 98 new registrations in the financial year 2023-24. Additionally, copyright registrations have reached a record-breaking 36,378, underscoring the vast potential within the creative sector.

The financial year 2023–2024 saw the greatest number of registrations in the field of design to date. Moreover, 27,819 were paid for the final disposal of 30,450 applications. Prominent programmes such as Toycathon, which is co-hosted by J&K SCERT and the Indian IP Office, have made it easier for 115 new designs created by J&K schoolchildren to be registered.

Along with stepping up efforts to speed up protection, the Trade Marks Registry promised to release examination reports within 30 days of receiving trademark applications.

Simultaneously, over the past two years, the National Academy of Intellectual Property (NIPAM) has trained 24 lakh youth—primarily students and teachers—in more than 7,000 institutions, greatly contributing to the rise in IP awareness.

This announcement coincides with the official notification of the Patent Rules, 2024, which introduces several provisions aimed at simplifying patent prosecution and maintenance processes.