Mumbai: The state higher and technical education department has given in-principle approval for a ₹60 crore fund to strengthen intellectual property rights (IPR) activities in universities and colleges across Maharashtra. The move follows a report by a state-appointed committee that proposed measures to improve patent filing, innovation and research commercialisation in higher education institutions.
The eight-member committee, chaired by A.B. Pandit, vice-chancellor of the Institute of Chemical Technology, reviewed the patent status of public universities and higher education institutions and recommended steps to strengthen the state’s intellectual property ecosystem.
A key recommendation is the creation of MANTRA (Maharashtra Academy for Nurturing Technology, Research and Intellectual Assets), a dedicated body that will serve as the state’s nodal centre for intellectual property management and innovation support.
The government is also planning to establish an IPR Cell at the University of Mumbai from July 1. The cell will guide universities and colleges on patent filing, intellectual property protection and commercialisation of research outcomes, a senior department official said.
The committee’s study found that a large number of patent applications filed by academic institutions fail to progress because applicants do not submit a mandatory Request for Examination. A survey conducted by intellectual property consultants at MVP’s PRADNYA found that nearly 60% of patent applications are never taken forward for examination, leaving them pending for years without grant.
Committee member Mrudula Bele said many researchers and faculty members file patents but fail to complete the next stage of the process. “As a result, a large number of applications do not move forward in the approval cycle,” she said.
Taking note of these issues, higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil had constituted the committee to examine the state’s patent ecosystem and recommend corrective measures.
The panel has proposed a two-phase implementation plan. The first phase includes setting up MANTRA and launching SANKALP (Strengthening Academic Novelty through Knowledge, Awareness, Legal Protection and Commercialisation), a 30-hour training programme for teachers and researchers. The programme aims to familiarise faculty members with patent procedures, legal requirements and pathways for commercialising innovations.
The report noted that intellectual property generation and protection are becoming increasingly important under the National Education Policy, which encourages universities to focus on innovation, invention and value creation through research.
The committee also studied successful models from other states. Karnataka has established patent information centres and startup-linked IP facilitation mechanisms, while Tamil Nadu and Kerala have developed innovation and startup ecosystems to support research commercialisation.
According to the panel, the proposed measures could improve awareness of intellectual property, enhance patent quality and grant rates, strengthen industry collaboration and create systems to better track innovation across institutions. Revenue generated through commercialisation could also be reinvested in future research projects.
To run MANTRA, the committee has recommended creating 28 posts, including those of director and deputy director. It said the proposed reforms could help Maharashtra emerge as a national leader in academic innovation and intellectual property management.
