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Maharashtra forms expert panel to turn campus patents into industry products

8-member committee to draft roadmap in 3 months create a ‘patent bank’

MaharashtraThe GR attributes this gap to structural shortcomings within institutions, including poor understanding of patent processes and weak drafting quality

The Maharashtra government has constituted an eight-member expert committee to overhaul the intellectual property (IP) ecosystem in higher education institutions (HEIs) in a bid to bridge the gap between academic research and industry adoption,

The Higher and Technical Education Department issued a Government Resolution (GR) on Tuesday, flagging a concern that while patent filings from academic institutions have risen, the number of patents granted remains low and their commercial use is negligible.

The GR attributes this gap to structural shortcomings within institutions, including poor understanding of patent processes and weak drafting quality. It also notes that patents are often filed to meet academic evaluation standards rather than for real-world application.

“Although most institutions have IP Cells, their role is largely limited to providing information. These cells lack capabilities in patent evaluation, technology transfer and industry collaboration,” the GR states.

The committee, chaired by Dr A B Pandit, Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai’s Institute of Chemical Technology, was constituted following a high-level meeting on March 18. It has been tasked with preparing a comprehensive roadmap to improve patent quality, increase grant rates, and enable commercialisation of academic innovations. The panel is expected to submit its report within three months.

Among key proposals under consideration is the creation of a centralised ‘patent bank’, a database of innovations developed in Maharashtra’s HEIs. The committee will also examine the feasibility of a state-level IP facilitation centre and recommend policies to incentivise industries to adopt academic patents.

The panel’s mandate includes designing capacity-building programmes for faculty and researchers on patentability, drafting and filing processes, as well as strengthening institutional IP management systems.

Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses). Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers. Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis). Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students. Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... Read More

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