The Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually launched the “KAPILA” (Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy and Awareness) campaign on October 15, 2020. The aim of this campaign is to spread awareness through educational programs about the importance of patenting an invention, to lead India towards self-reliance. Under this campaign, students pursuing education in higher educational institutions will get information about the correct system of application process for patenting their invention.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1664883

Sikkim’s North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited has been granted the Geographical Indication registration for ‘Dalle Khusrani’, which is the local name of a red cherry pepper chilli grown in Sikkim. The Scoville score for this chilli is rated in the range of 100,000 to 350 000 SHU (Scovelle Heat Units), making it one of the hottest chilies in the world.

Source: http://ipindia.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/IPOJournal/1_4826_1/Journal_127.pdf

Overriding its earlier notification dated February 24, 2020[1] Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) vide order dated September 25, 2020[2] issued fresh directions regarding display of ‘Date of Manufacture’ and ‘Best Before Date’ of non-packaged/ loose sweets, container /tray holding sweets at the outlet for sale. According to the latest order, they have mandated the display of “Best Before Date” and simultaneously relaxed the compliances imposed on displaying the ‘Date of Manufacture’ making it voluntary and not binding, with effect from October 01, 2020.

Source: https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/advisories/2020/02/5e53d8889957fOrder_Direction_Manufacturing_Date_BestBefore_24_02_2020.pdf; https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/advisories/2020/09/5f6ddbe03942eOrder_Direction_Date_Sweets_25_09_2020.pdf

WIPO’s Arbitration and Mediation Center has reported a steady increase in the number of cybersquatting cases filed with them, notably in the field of biotech, pharma, Internet, banking, finance, etc. during the COVID-19 Crisis. A number of domain names have been registered for news and information sites, or even to provide new business offerings, but are often being used to spread misinformation and to engage in illegal and fraudulent activities. Also popular amongst such domain names are the ones related to COVID such as <coronagileadsciences.com> (WIPO Case No. D2020-0776), and <facebookcovid19.com> (WIPO Case No. D2020-0885).

Source: www.wipo.int/amc/en/news/2020/cybersquatting_covid19.html

India & South Africa have submitted a proposal to the council for TRIPS on 2nd October, 2020, for waiver from implementation, application and enforcement of sections 1, 4, 5, and 7 of Part II of the TRIPS agreement in relation to prevention, containment or treatment of COVID-19. Reports have been cited in the proposal regarding IPR hindering access to medical equipment such as diagnostic kits, medical masks, other personal protective equipment, and ventilators. The waiver has been proposed in the interest of efficiently focusing on the pandemic and according to the supply/demand ratio of affordable medical products to the concerned patient

Source: https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/IP/C/W669.pdf&Open=True