India’s range of intellectual creations is as diverse as its people, from patents to plant varieties, copyright to designs and geographical indications and other intellectual property rights. Since the 21st century is the century of knowledge and embedded with the digital age, and it leads to restrictions on access to materials and data on the Internet affect everyone. It is well know that India is a party to a number of international treaties and conventions including the TRIPS Agreement and fully conscious of its international obligations and abided by them. At the same time, it has protected the national interest and balanced the rights of IP owners with their obligations to society. Further, India has made definite strides in the protection, administration, management and enforcement of IP and is travelling as per the international legal principles to make sure that everything is within the permitted boundaries of IP regime. There is no doubt that the India’s statutory framework is robust, effective and balanced and it is in consonance with national development priorities without compromising international obligation.

In order to strengthen the value of IP into the society at large, to motivate the use of IP protection and to assist stakeholders in that direction, the Centre for Research on Intellectual Property Laws (CRIPL) has been established at VIT School of Law, Chennai Campus. The gist of the CRIPL is to run teaching and research based activity and to facilitate these aspects effectively to run an IP Clinic. The IP Clinic comprising of subject experts aims to bridge the gap between the stakeholders of IP at the gross root level. As interactions increase between stakeholders, Industries, government and non-governmental organizations, there exists a felt need for an arena to connect the dots so that readily available assistance is provided. In terms of protection of information / invention, assistance in the form of consultancy, research contacts, commercialization of the product are proposed to be provided through the Clinic.

The way forward for the CRIPL centre is to strengthen the community through the prism of IP rights, thereby moving a step further in the direction of creating IP friendly environment and helping in the increase of IP awareness. The Centre will organise Conferences, Seminars, Workshops and Awareness Programs in various topics in IPR and also exclusive Journal so as to pave way for further research in IP Law.

The following objectives are sought to be fulfilled by the CIPR:

• To extend support for policy development;
• To indulge in collaborations for research and teaching with local and foreign educational institutions to strengthen the motto of the Centre;
• To act as point of entry and provide guidance to the innovators at the grass root level;
• To formulate advice and implementing policies;
• To engage in research for evidence based advice to businesses to manage IP;
• To raise respect of IP through its understanding among future IP holders spread over schools, colleges, business enterprises and entrepreneurs etc ;
• To create awareness about protection of IP and prevention of IP theft and other related crimes;
• Organizing International/National Conferences, Seminars and Workshops on Intellectual Property Law in order to strengthen IP regime;
• Organizing Orientation and Training programmes for potential faculty of teaching of Intellectual Property Laws:
• To indulge in comparative IP law research.