Consider the following statements: 1. According to the Indian Patent

Consider the following statements:

  • 1. According to the Indian Patents Act, a biological process to create a seed can be patented in India.
  • 2. In India, there is no Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
  • 3. Plant varieties are not eligible to be patented in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 and 3 only
2 and 3 only
3 only
1, 2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2019
Statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Statement 1 is incorrect. According to Section 3(j) of the Indian Patents Act, 1970, “plants and animals in whole or any part thereof other than micro-organisms but including seeds, varieties and species and essentially biological processes for production or propagation of plants and animals” are not patentable inventions. A biological process to create a seed for propagation falls under this exclusion.

Statement 2 is correct. The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) was abolished by the Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Act, 2021. Its functions have been transferred to the High Courts.

Statement 3 is correct. As mentioned in the explanation for Statement 1, plant varieties are explicitly excluded from patentability under the Indian Patents Act, 1970 (Section 3(j)). Protection for plant varieties is provided under a separate legislation, the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 (PPV&FR Act).

India’s patent law aligns with international agreements like the TRIPS Agreement, which allows member countries to exclude plants, animals, and essentially biological processes from patentability. The PPV&FR Act, 2001, offers a sui generis system for protecting plant breeder’s rights, farmer’s rights, and encouraging the development of new plant varieties.
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