The Ministry of Human Resource Development Under the scheme of Intellectual Property Education, Research and Public Outreach (IPERPO) set up 20 IPR Chairs in various universities and institutes considering their potential for development and growth of IPR Education, Research and Training. Out of 20 IPR Chairs set up six (6) IPR Chairs were in Universities, six (6) IPR Chairs were in IITs five (5) IPR Chairs are in National Law Universities and three (3) IPR chairs in IIMs (Kolkata, Bangalore and Ahmedabad).

The objectives which prompted creation of various IPR Chairs at premiere technical and Management Institutes were-

• Encourage study of intellectual property rights in the universities and other recognized institutions of higher education.
• Creating public awareness about copyright and IPR matters among public and academic community
• Developing and encouraging study in specialized courses in IPRs in higher education system
• Training of enforcement personnel- State Police/custom officials about copyright and related issues.
• Organizing seminars and workshops on copyright Matters/IPRs matters in colleges, universities and other recognized institutions.
• Creating knowledge resources on WTO matter
• Developing inputs for policy formulation on WTO matters
• Developing negotiation strategies on WTO
• Developing course awareness on WTO matters; and
• Evolving strategies of Regional Cooperation and Regional Trading Arrangements

After the advent of new IPR Policy in the year 2016, DPIIT erstwhile DIPP became the Nodal Centre for IP related issues in India and as such new scheme, Scheme for Pedagogy and Research in IPRs for Holistic Education and Academia (SPRIHA) was introduced in the year 2017. New IPR Chairs were introduced in various law universities. Revised mandates were issued for the development of existing IPR Chairs. Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India accorded approval vide letter number 17-2/2016-IPR-VII dated October 16, 2018 to establish IPR Chair at IIT Roorkee under the SPRIHA. The IPR Chair which was awarded to IIT Roorkee under the erstwhile Scheme for Promotion of Copyrights and Patents was continued after the twelfth five-year plan. The objective 7 of New IPR policy enumerates to strengthen and expand human resources, institutions and capacities for teaching, training, research and skill building in IPRs. Objective 7.2 of the policy document mentions to strengthen IPR Chairs in educational institutes of higher learning to provide quality teaching and research; develop teaching capacity and curricula and evaluate their work on performance based criteria.

Key Expectations from DPIIT IPR Chairs established under the Scheme for Pedagogy & Research in IPRs Holistic Education and Academia- 2017 (SPRIHA-2017)

1. Inclusion of IPR as a course at undergraduate level.
2. Inclusion of PG degree/diploma courses on IPR.
3. Inclusion of exclusive curricula on IPR for doctoral and Post-doctoral studies.
4. Provisions of full time / part time scholarship and fellowships for conducting research in legal economic and socio legal, social, technological, entrepreneurial aspects of new emerging IPR areas.
5. Setting of the repository for IPR related information.
6. Facilitate filing of IPR applications.
7. Studies commissioned by DPIIT are to be necessary conducted by IPR Chairs.
8. Summer schools

In conclusion, the establishment of IPR Chairs across various prestigious educational institutions in India, under the schemes of IPERPO and SPRIHA, has played a crucial role in promoting intellectual property education, research, and public outreach. The IPR Chair at IIT Roorkee has been instrumental in achieving the objectives of the new IPR Policy of 2016, including the expansion of human resources and strengthening of institutional capacities in the domain of intellectual property rights.

The DPIIT IPR Chair of IIT Roorkee, under the SPRIHA-2017 initiative, has been successful in integrating IPR as a part of undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral programs, setting up repositories for IPR-related information, and conducting studies commissioned by DPIIT. Furthermore, the IPR Chair has been actively involved in organizing summer schools, workshops, and seminars on copyright and IPR matters, creating public awareness, and providing training to enforcement personnel.

As a result, the DPIIT IPR Chair has not only contributed to the development of a robust intellectual property ecosystem within the institute but also fostered the growth of a knowledgeable and skilled workforce capable of addressing the dynamic and complex challenges of the national intellectual property landscape. Moving forward, it is imperative that the IPR Chair at IIT Roorkee continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing needs of the nation, ensuring that India remains at the forefront of intellectual property education, research, and innovation.