The scope and significance of intellectual property rights (IPR) and patent laws should be taken to and promoted among the under-privileged sections apart from ensuring their application in traditional systems, V.N. Rajasekhara Pillai, Principal Secretary (Science and Technology) has said.
Inaugurating a two-day workshop on ‘Intellectual Property Rights and Patent Law’ organized by the National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM) and the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment here on Friday, Mr. Pillai said knowledge and skills available with the ordinary man were several times more than that associated with the so-called educated section. A random look at patents over the last few years would reveal that those with minimal education possessed more patents than highly educated patent holders.
Still, there was a vast section of people, who were under-privileged when it came to knowing the significance of their ideas and that of protecting their ideas or innovations and inventions. Artists, practitioners of several health systems and streams that were not patented or even properly documented, traditional knowledge system practitioners including tribals had all to be educated on patent laws and IPR, he said.
By doing so, their contributions to improving the quality of life would be accepted and promoted apart from being a definite boost for inclusive growth of the society. At the same time, ordinary people who had acquired patents for their innovations or inventions without the support of large organizations or Government systems should be identified, supported and included in the efforts to spread awareness on the same.
The fear of failure was stopping many when it came to going ahead with innovations or patents. Once that fear was overcome, the rest would be easier, Mr. Pillai added.
NIPM Thiruvananthapuram chapter vice-chairman Captain K.A. Pillai presided over while another vice-chairman, K. Yesodharan, welcomed the participants.
