International Patent Drafting Competition (IPDC)

IPDC is a new Initiative by IIPRD and its prestigious Indian and Foreign Associates to bring about greater awareness and respect for Intellectual Property (IP) Issues, particularly Patents, which have, over time, become more relevant to the Indian Ecosystem than ever.
With rising Patent Litigation in India, quality of patents and the scope provided thereby is a crucial aspect that is evaluated/scrutinized by the Courts/Appellate Boards. Furthermore, gone are the times when Indian Companies, Universities, and Individuals were only looking forward to create Defensive Patent Portfolios in India, whereas they are now looking towards the aggressive portfolio with sustainable commercial value. More and more PCT and Convention Applications are being filed each month/year by Indian Applicants with around 30 Indian Prioirty Taking PCT Applications being published each week. Most of these patents are filed with an objective of either Licensing, or Enforcement, or In-House Commercialization, and hence quality of patent drafting including claim drafting, scope of protection accorded, variety of embodiments presented, support in the specification, limitations provided, among other aspects are crucial to Patent Applications.
This initiative of IPDC comes with an earnest effort by IIPRD and its associates and leading sister Law Firm Khurana & Khurana, IP Attorneys (K&K) to promote development of Patent Drafting as a Skill Set and encourage more and more technical people to take up Patent Drafting as a Professional Competency, along with identifying and encouraging Top Patent Drafters in Country.

IIPRD is glad to have support from Khurana & Khurana, Advocates and IP Attorneys (K&K), and Sughrue Mion from US for conducting the IPDC, wherein evaluation of the patent applications submitted by the participants of the IPDC would jointly be done with the stakeholders from K&K and Sughrue Mion. IIPRD is also glad to have support from:

Principal Partners

Supporting Partners

Media Partners

Step 1: On 1st August 2016, IIPRD and K&K, on their websites (www.iiprd.com and www.khuranaandkhurana.com), would put forth Three Invention Disclosures (describing three Inventions), one each in the domain of Electronics/ Hi-Tech, Mechanical, and Chemistry/Pharmaceuticals. The Patent Drafing Competition would be active till 25th August 2016, within which timeframe, Eligible Participants would need to write Complete Patent Applications/Specifications (along with Drawings, if applicable) complying with Indian Patent Act/US Patent Act for a technical domain of their choice (1 Patent Application per Participant).

Step 2: Drafted Patent Application can be sent to Competition@iiprd.com or can be sent in Hard Copy to Physical Office of IIPRD, which is at "E-13, UPSIDC Site IV, Behind Grand Venice, Greater Noida". In either of the ways, the patent application draft has to be received by IIPRD on or before 25th August 2016.

Step 3: In order to enable only serious participants to submit their Applications/Specifications, a Participation Fees of Rs. 1000/- or USD 50 is to be submitted by each Participant, which can either be paid by means of Bank Transfer (Bank Name: IIPRD, Account No. 19620210002476, UCO Bank, Greater Noida Branch, IFSC Code:UCBA0001962) or through Cheque/DD in favor of "IIPRD". The Draft should reach IIPRD's Office (E-13, UPSIDC Site IV, Behind Grand Venice, Greater Noida, 201310) by 25th August 2016. Each fee submission should be accompanied with the Name, Address, and Contact Details of the Participant so that Participation Certificate can be sent at the given Address to Each Participant.

Step 4: On 30th August 2016, two winners for each technology domain (total of 6 winners) would be announced on the website of IIPRD, K&K, and its affiliates/associates, wherein the winners would be decided based on a combination of numerous factors such as flow of the specification, scope covered through embodiments, claim drafting strategy, and accurary of technical coverage. The evaluation would be done collectively by representatives from each International Law Firm and Khurana & Khurana, IP Attorneys, coordinated by IIPRD. Their collective decision on selection of the winners would be final and shall not be open to change in any manner.

Step 5: On 29th September 2016, prize distribution at Hotel Hilton Mumbai at 1700hrs onwards shall take place during the annual International Pharmaceutical/Biotech Symposium being organised by IIPRD, wherein the first winner for each technology domain would be given a Prize of Rs. One Lakh Only (Rs. 100000/-) or USD 2000, and the second winner for each technology domain would be given a Prize of Rs. Fifty Thousand Only (Rs. 50000/-) or USD 1000. All winners would also be invited to the symposium on 29th September 2016 as honoured guests, and shall also be given suitable Certificates, however the travel cost and stay, if required by the winners to join the prize distribution, shall be borne by them personally. In case coming over to the Conference is not possible for the Winners, the amount can be alternatively be credited directly to their accounts. All Participants would also be given Participation Certificates for the Competition.

Any Practitioner having a Technical/Science Background is eligible to Participate in the Competition. For instance, the Participant could be a student, a practicing Attorney, an in-house counsel, a scientist, a faculty, or any other stakeholder having a technical qualification.

1. Invention Disclosures on IIPRD/K&K Websites (www.iiprd.com, www.khuranaandkhurana.com): 1st August 2016
2. Submission of patent drafts along with participation fees (by Bank Transfer/DD/Cheque): 25th August 2016
3. Announcement of Winners: 30th August 2016
4. Prize/Certificate Distribution: 29th September 2016

For any query/question, please feel free to write to iiprd@iiprd.com, and/or call 0120-4296878/2342010 and speak with Ms. Tanu Goyal.

Q.1 What is IPDC 2016?
IPDC 2016, the second innings of NPDC (National Patent Drafting Competition) 2015, is an Initiative by IIPRD and its prestigious Indian and Foreign Associates to bring about greater awareness and respect for Intellectual Property (IP) Issues, particularly Patents. This initiative of IPDC comes with an earnest effort by IIPRD and its associates and leading sister Law Firm Khurana & Khurana, IP Attorneys (K&K) to promote development of Patent Drafting as a Skill Set and encourage more and more technical people to take up Patent Drafting as a Professional Competency, along with identifying and encouraging Top Patent Drafters in Country.
Q.2 Am I eligible for IPDC 2016?
If you are a Practitioner having a Technical/Science Background then you are definitely eligible to Participate in the Competition. Both national and international Stakeholders having a technical qualification, be it a student, a practicing Attorney, an in-house counsel, a scientist or a faculty, are invited to submit their applications for IPDC 2016. So come and be a part of the only one of its kind drafting competition!
Q.3 Can I enter the competition as a team?
No. Entries would be accepted only from individuals.
Q.4 Who will evaluate the submitted applications?
The evaluation would be done collectively by Patent Agents from each International Law Firm and Khurana & Khurana, IP Attorneys, coordinated by IIPRD. Their collective decision on selection of the winners would be final and shall not be open to change.
Q.5 What if I would like to edit the draft that I have already submitted?
Edits should be done prior to entering. Once an entry has been submitted, edits, replacements or exchanges would not be accepted. If you wish to re-enter an edited piece, it is certainly acceptable & common practice. These entries would be considered new entries. You may wish to slightly modify the entry titles in such cases, so that you are able to identify them-should you be selected as a winner.
Q.6 How can I transfer money for registration to IPDC 2016?
A Participation Fees of Rs. 1000/- or USD 50 is to be submitted by each Participant, which can either be paid by means of Bank Transfer (Bank Name: IIPRD, Account No. 19620210002476, UCO Bank, Greater Noida Branch, IFSC Code:UCBA0001962) or through Cheque/DD in favor of "IIPRD". The Draft should reach IIPRD's Office (E-13, UPSIDC Site IV, Behind Grand Venice, Greater Noida, 201310) by 25th August 2016. Each fee submission should be accompanied with the Name, Address, and Contact Details of the Participant so that Participation Certificate can be sent at the given Address to Each Participant.
Q.7 When will winners be notified?
On 30th August 2016, two winners for each technology domain (total of 6 winners) would be announced on the website of IIPRD, K&K, and its affiliates/associates, wherein the winners would be decided based on a combination of numerous factors such as flow of the specification, scope covered through embodiments, claim drafting strategy, and accuracy of technical coverage.
Q.8 When will the prizes be distributed?
On 29th September 2016, prize distribution at Hotel Hilton Mumbai at 1700hrs onwards shall take place during the annual International Pharmaceutical/Biotech Symposium being organised by IIPRD, wherein the first winner for each technology domain would be given a Prize of Rs. One Lakh Only (Rs. 100000/-) or USD 2000, and the second winner for each technology domain would be given a Prize of Rs. Fifty Thousand Only (Rs. 50000/-) or USD 1000. All winners would also be invited to the symposium on 29th September 2016 as honoured guests, and shall also be given suitable Certificates.
Q.9 Would my travel cost and stay, to join the prize distribution, borne by the organizing committee of the Competition?
No. The travel cost and stay, if required by the winners to join the prize distribution, shall be borne by them personally.
Q.10 What if I am not able to attend the prize distribution? How will I get my prize then?
In case coming over to the Conference is not possible for the Winners, the amount can alternatively be credited directly to their accounts.

For further queries, please feel free to write to iiprd@iiprd.com, and/or call 0120-4296878/2342010 and speak with Ms. Tanu Goyal.
Q.11 Post the competition, can you share the drafts of the winners?
In accordance with the policy of IPDC organizing team, drafts of the winners cannot be shared publicly even when the competition is over. However, the email IDs of the winners can be forwarded to the interested participants who can then contact the winners directly for the retrieval of their drafts.