The focus on patent-filing by its Intellectual Property Right (IPR) Cell over the last few years has contributed significantly to the robust NIRF ranking of National Institute of Technology - Tiruchi.
The IPR cell has, over the last three years, facilitated faculty and research scholars to file for 60 patents, and secured sanction for 15, said M. Jaya Bharata Reddy, Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Head of IPR Cell.
The NIT-Tiruchi rose up to the eighth position among engineering institutions in the NIRF ranking, with an overall score of 69.17. Over the last four years, the institution rose up from the 12th position, registering improvement consistently and retaining its first place among the NITs in the country
To consolidate its position, the NIT-T's IPR Cell has been imparting knowledge about intellectual property rights to faculty, scholars and students.
Steps have been taken to commercialize the IP owned by the institute.
The Siemens Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing in the campus has been helpful in fostering start-up eco-system, based on the patents.
The Centre, which has been sanctioned seed-funding of ₹24 lakh has received 25 applications for initiating seven start-ups. The purpose behind the exercise is to transform students into job providers, S. Muthukumaran, Dean, Research and Consultancy, said.
The Central Government has been emphasising on start of patent-based start-ups by institutions, he said.
As part of its awareness programmes, the IPR Cell, on Tuesday, teamed up with Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Intellectual Property Management (RGNIIPM), Nagpur, to conduct a free online workshop on 'Intellectual Property Rights and Patents and Design Filing'.
R. Kumar Raju, Assistant Controller of Patents and Designs, IPO (Indian Patent and Trade Marks Office) Mumbai / RGNIIPM, oriented the participants on the process of filing patent applications and the minimum documents required for the purpose.
G. Aghila, Director, NIT-T, who inaugurated the event, exhorted the participants to make fullest use of the value-added information
