AU TO GET PATENT CELL; IPR CELL REVAMP ALSO ON CARD

PRAYAGRAJ: The quality of research work carried out in various departments and centres of Allahabad University (AU) is set to see an appreciable rise, as a patent cell is to be constituted on the campus. The patent cell will make researchers’ hard work socially productive and link it to market needs.

This would be in addition to the existing Intellectual Property Right (IPR) cell of AU which would also be revamped, university officials said.

Newly appointed vice-chancellor Sangita Srivastava has taken a keen interest in constituting a separate cell, which will look after patent-filing. The research being done in various departments and centres of AU and the results thereof will be patented by the new cell. On one hand, the patent cell will encourage researchers, and on the other hand, attract new students into research, officials added.

“It has been seen that a researcher first does all the hard work then fights for getting the research result patented, spending personal money, precious time and energy. Now, the cell will look after every aspect and AU will spend its money and will also hire a lawyer of the Supreme Court who will defend the application,” the first AU woman V-C said.

The patent cell is being set up with the aim that path breaking research being done in various departments is recognised at the national level and does not remain confined to journals only. While the move will help AU improve its ranking, the entire society stands to benefit from the research, she added.