The report also highlights a remarkable surge in overall patent applications, reaching 80,211 filings, a 24.64% increase from the previous year. Out of these, 34,134 applications resulted in granted patents, indicating a 13.5% rise compared to the previous year.
Private universities have outpaced Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in patent filings for the 2022-2023 academic year, as per the Annual Report of Intellectual Property India. Lovely Professional University in Phagwara took the lead with 1,387 patent applications, overshadowing the combined total of 803 filings by the IITs. This shift underscores the growing influence of private educational institutions in fostering innovation.
The report also highlights a remarkable surge in overall patent applications, reaching 80,211 filings, a 24.64% increase from the previous year. Out of these, 34,134 applications resulted in granted patents, indicating a 13.5% rise compared to the previous year.
New entrants in the rankings include Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, securing the ninth position. This emphasizes the diverse landscape of innovation across the educational sector.
Upon Lovely Professional University topping the chart, we reached out to Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal, Chancellor LPU. Mentioning how LPU commits to research and innovation, he said, “This achievement is a testament to our unwavering commitment to research and innovation at Lovely Professional University. It showcases the dedication and hard work of our research team and the entire LPU community. We have been actively working on cutting-edge research projects, pushing boundaries, and exploring new frontiers in various fields. Being ahead of all the IITs is indeed a significant milestone for us. It demonstrates our relentless pursuit of excellence and our determination to be at the forefront of knowledge creation and technological advancements.
He added, “We are also looking forward to harness 400 plus university partnerships across the globe to work on the collective expertise and resources to enhance the impact and reach of our research endeavours. We are immensely proud of this achievement and the recognition it brings to Lovely Professional University.”
While the IITs collectively dominated patent filings, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) displayed a commendable performance, filing 231 applications in 2022-23, compared to 223 in the previous year when it held the top position.
With private universities keeping up with this dominant space, what caught our eyes is “Shoolini University” missing out from the chart, despite its record-breaking patent applications.
We reached out to the Vice Chancellor of Shoolini University, Atul Khosla, who is also the Dean of ‘Faculty of Management Sciences & Liberal Arts at Shoolini University, asking about his views on this. He said, “Excited that other private universities are following the path charted by Shoolini. We have finetuned our IPR strategy- The Shoolini strategy going forward is more about getting patents granted and getting them commercialised. And live our dream of one student one patent.”
He added, “We have 1450 IPRs filed to date. Over 800 have been granted.”
As the nation seeks to enhance its global competitiveness, collaborative efforts between academia, industry, and government entities are imperative to harness India's intellectual capital effectively.