The Office of Dean Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy (SRIC) of Punjab Engineering College (Deemed to be University), Chandigarh successfully organized an Awareness Workshop on “Protection and Management of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in Academic Institutes” on 14th January, 2026.

The workshop was conducted by the Institute-empaneled IPR consultants from M/s S.S. Rana & Co., with Mr. Vikrant Rana, Managing Partner, and Ms. Sangeeta Nagar, Senior Scientist, delivering an engaging and highly interactive session for the faculty members of the Institute.

The programme was graced by Prof. Umesh Sharma, Dean Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy, Prof. Sandeep Kumar, Associate Dean, SRIC, along with faculty members from various departments.

The session commenced with Prof. Umesh Sharma, who provided an overview of the workshop and highlighted the growing importance of Intellectual Property Rights in academic research and innovation ecosystems. He briefly explained the fundamentals of IPR filing, its procedures, and the role of IPRs in safeguarding research outcomes.

Thereafter, Mr. Vikrant Rana introduced the firm M/s S.S. Rana & Co. and, along with Ms. Sangeeta Nagar, delivered an in-depth presentation covering key aspects of IPRs. The speakers elaborated on the global patent office environment, recent trends in IPR filings over the last five years, and emerging major research areas. It was highlighted that India files nearly one lakh patent applications every year, reflecting the country’s growing innovation landscape.

The session further covered the benefits and scope of various IPR tools such as Patents, Trademarks, Geographical Indications (GI), Copyrights, and Industrial Designs. Detailed insights were shared on patent documents, PCT applications, criteria for patentability including novelty, inventiveness, and utility, as well as aspects related to who can file a patent application, what can be protected, procedural steps, IC layout designs, and trade secrets.

The workshop concluded with an interactive discussion and query-answer session. Prof. Sandeep Kumar, Associate Dean, Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to the speakers, organizers, and participants for making the workshop a meaningful and informative event.