IQAC – One Week National Faculty Development Programme

October 04-10, 2021

Inauguration

The Ministry of Education has initiated that HEIs of the country to create awareness on Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights amidst faculty members and students, and hence Chevalier T Thomas Elizabeth College for Women from Chennai has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Under this scheme, to enhance the academic-research-industry connect, a one week faculty development programme is being organised from October 4 to 10, 2021 on INNOVATION & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS by the IQAC of the College.

The dignitaries for the inauguration were Thiru. L. Palamalai (IAS Retd.), the Managing Trustee and Correspondent of CTTE Trust, Prof. Suddhasatwa Basu, Director, CSIR-IMMT, Dr. Ashok Kumar Sahu, Chief Scientist and Head of InTech and Dr. T Pavan Kumar, Senior Scientist, the Coordinator of MAITRI – Mentoring  Academic  Interventions  for Technological Research & Innovation. The Programme began with the State Song (Tamil Thai Vazhthu).

The participants were welcomed by Dr. R. Meenakshi, Vice Principal, who set the tone of the FDP with a brief introduction to CSIR-IMMT and their new initiative MAITRI. Mrs. J. Mary Catherine, IQAC Coordinator, explained the concept of the Faculty Development Programme.

Prof. Suddhasatwa Basu, in his Inaugural Address, said it is a great advancement that a Women’s College has come forward to sign an MoU with CSIR-IMMT to bring forth programmes for innovation which would pave the way for Women Entrepreneurs to emerge in future.

The Correspondent of the College, Thiru L Palamalai pointed out that under this initiative, students of Arts & Science Colleges could do their internship in association with the CSIR-IMMT.

Dr. Ashok Kumar Sahu explained that MAITRI will invite colleges to conduct joint programs and nurture innovation in academic institutions.

Dr. S. Sridevi, the Principal, congratulated CSIR-IMMT which has recognised and fulfilled its social responsibility by extending a friendly arm to bridge the mainstream scientific research and research in private Arts & Science Colleges. She felt that with this initiative, CSIR is being exemplary in nation building.

Dr. T. Ramya, Assistant Professor of Physics, proposed the vote of thanks for the Inaugural Session.

It is very interesting to note that this programme MAITRI has been initiated by CSIR-IMMT, based on the request of Chevalier T Thomas Elizabeth College for Women as expressed by Dr. T Pavan Kumar during the inauguration.

Around 180 Faculty members participated in this FDP across the country via G Meet and YouTube.

Day 1 – Importance of IPR Date – 04.10.2021
Dr. T. Pavan Kumar

Senior Scientist, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar-751013, Odisha

Dr. Pavan Kumar introduced and elaborated on  the  various dimensions of Intellectual Property Rights. He highlighted the position of Indian patents in the global arena, the necessity to innovate and more importantly the need to patent the innovative idea. A clear picture of what can be patented  and what cannot be patented was provided, through a series of lively examples and illustrations. The audience learnt about the IPR Laws in India, The TRIPS Agreement, Granting of Product Patenting, Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights and its procedures  and converting ideas into innovation.

Day 2 – Types of IPR Date – 05.10.2021
Dr. Saurabh Yadav Assistant Professor

H.N.B. Garhwal University (A Central University) Srinagar, Garhwal 246 174, Uttarakhand

Dr. Saurabh Yadav gave a detailed description of the various types of IPR namely Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks etc. He stressed on Industrial Design and how innovation propels the Indian Economy. The key takeaways of the session include importance of IPR strategies, steps for drafting a patent, overview of Geographical Indication, benefits of safeguarding our inventions and innovations. The audience was surprised to see how day to day things also are related to IPR and learnt how to protect new discoveries for patents. An insight into the concept of invention and innovation, the loop of creativity, application, production and protection, etc. as well  as the effects of plagiarism were given.

Day 3 – Understanding of Patents – Structure and Criteria Date – 06.10.2021
Dr. Yogesh Dhoble

Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-IPU, New Delhi

Dr. Yogesh Dhoble gave a clear picture of the trends in patent filing in India and Abroad. He gave a walkthrough of the types of patent applications, its structure and the various stages of patent granting. He also mentioned the criteria and fees structure for patent filing. A detailed explanation on the various rules and regulations governing the field of filing patents and the step by step procedure to be followed to register the patent were explained. The members of the audience were able to clear their doubts and confusions regarding the patent filing system and were very grateful to the resource person for the same.

Day 4 – Filing Patent – Hands On Date – 07.10.2021
Dr. T. Pavan Kumar

Senior Scientist, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar-751013, Odisha &

Mrs. J. Mary Catherine
Head, Department of Computer Science, Chevalier  T. Thomas Elizabeth College for Women

The first part of the session was handled by Mrs. Mary Catherine. The participants were made to interact through the small quiz on IPR through Kahoot. Image based questions were also posed to test their acquired knowledge of IPR during the past three days. The participants took part with enthusiasm and interest.

The second session was handled by Dr. Pavan Kumar. He gave a clear picture of what can be patented and what cannot be patented through interactive examples. He handled the session in a dialectic manner raising questions himself and answering them in a rational and logical manner with an exemplary thoroughness.

Day 5 – Patenting – Practical approach Date – 08.10.2021
Dr. Dipti P Das

Principal Scientist, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar-751013, Odisha

Dr. Dipti P. Das mentioned various criteria for evaluating an invention – namely its utility, novelty, non-obviousness and  non-disclosure to the public – prior to filing. She also gave us a walkthrough of her patented work in the field of Chemistry. The practical examples gave the audience a clear understanding of the process of drafting of patent claim, process of filing patents. She presented her patented work on photocatalysis and elaborated on the tests being conducted.

Day 6 – Essentials of Patents – Application Types and Filing Process Date – 09.10.2021
Dr. Lipika Patnaik

Principal Scientist, CSIR-IPU, New Delhi

Dr. Lipika Patnaik elaborated on the history of the patent system both worldwide and in India. She gave a walkthrough of the patent filing system in India both through Traditional and PCT (Patent  Cooperation Treaty) Route. She also mentioned the various criteria and fees structure. She discussed the essentials of patents, patentability, approval of national biodiversity, authority for IPR application, and different types of patents.

Day 7 – Patent Search – Possible Approaches Date – 10.10.2021
Adv. Noopur Goel

HumaneIP, Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Noopur Goel elaborated on the various approaches for conducting different types and techniques of patent search like validity and context based searches, keywords and its variations, web based terminologies and gave us hands-on experience in patent searching. The key takeaways were patent search terminologies, strategies and search relating to patents, Process of Patenting. She gave a detailed introduction to WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), EPO, Google patents and registration of patents  and many other approaches for patent searching etc. in vivid detail in an exhaustive manner. It was a highly researched lecture session.

Valedictory

The valedictory session began at 5.25 pm on 10/10/2021. Mrs. Mary Catherine presented the report of the seven-day FDP that helped the audience to comprehend the otherwise complicated area of patents. The need of the hour is to create more and more entrepreneurs and foster start-ups, which will change the future outlook of our country, it was emphasized. She assured and promised that as academicians, the participants would propagate the knowledge acquired through this FDP, to students and thus kindle the young minds of India to innovate. She thanked all the participants for actively interacting throughout the FDP for a week.

Dr. B. V. Saraswathy, Assistant Professor of English, Chevalier T. Thomas Elizabeth College for Women, gave the feedback on behalf of the participants. She emphasized that CSIR has begun a new venture connecting with Arts and Science Colleges. She appreciated the organisers for the well planned and well organised sessions. She also pointed out that each and every speaker was scholarly and gave minute details on the topics they spoke on.

The official Vote of Thanks was given by Dr. Hajeema Rabiath Beevi, IQAC Director, Chevalier T. Thomas Elizabeth College for Women in which she thanked CSIR-IMMT and the Management of Chevalier T. Thomas Elizabeth College for Women. The Programme came to an end with the National Anthem.

The College is immensely pleased and proud with this academic event and we sincerely hope that we produce women entrepreneurs and contribute to the economic development of the country.