For the past many years, students from across the state have been pouring out their innovative minds and creating wonders. But many a time, their ideas are pilfered by industries and individuals. Therefore, to help students understand the importance to patent their innovations, Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has decided to teach Intellectual Property Rights and Technology Transfer course in the eighth semester of BE from January 2012. The course has been designed by IIM professor Anil Gupta and expert lawyers.

Sources in GTU said, “No university has taught such a course. Students, especially from engineering field, need to understand the seriousness of intellectual property rights. They have been making great innovation and there are all the chances their ideas could be used by someone else.”

Topics such as the meaning of intellectual rights, how and where to file for it, how to make project reports of innovation, and so on, will be taught. The course will carry 50 marks. “As of now, we have included the course in the semester 8 of BE. In future, we will be including it in the first semester of BE,” the sources added.

In Kerala, students are taught the concept of intellectual property from class 4. However, there is no awareness of the topic in Gujarat. “There is a need to create awareness in the state. It’s very expensive for students to patent their innovation. The cost of filing application for patent is around Rs 50,000-60,000. Therefore, we are planning to form a group which will patent their innovations for lesser amount,” added sources.

Recently, as part of a project initiated by GTU and Techpedia – a brainchild of Gupta — the varsity incubated 100 best research prototypes created by final year students of engineering and pharmacy to help industries grow after mapping industry requirements over six months.