NOPR Collection:

Legislation Affecting Science and Technology — Need for More Public Debate*

2001-09-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Legislation Affecting Science and Technology — Need for More Public Debate* Authors: Nair, M D Abstract: The paper discusses about the pros and cons of the various acts/bills passed or to be passed by the parliament and their impact on the science and technology community. Regarding ammendments in Indian Patents Act, 1970, the author suggests that there should be provision for petty patents because they have an advantage of their own. Regarding National Biodiversity Bill, which has not yet been passed, he suggests that it needs to be recast so that country's resources could be exploited to create wealth for the nation. Regarding other areas, such as genetically modified food, stem cell research, gene therapy and cloning, there are no clear cut guidelines even though research is being carried out in these areas and inventors are applying for patents in India and abroad. Page(s): 398-403

B2B E-commerce: Technological, Legal and IPR Issues*

2001-09-01T00:00:00Z

Title: B2B E-commerce: Technological, Legal and IPR Issues* Authors: Gupta, V K Abstract: E-business, e-commerce, e-marketplace, B2B, and B2C are now common business parlance. E-business involves all the enterprise- procurement, supply-chain management, sales and customer relationship management, online business transactions, etc. IP/VPN, digital watermarking, encryption, public key infrastructure are the essential technologies, which are required to be deployed for implementing B2B e-commerce solutions. This paper describes the B2B and associated technologies, legal framework for B2B, and IPR issues of B2B. Page(s): 389-397

Molecular Markers for Cultivar Identification and PBR

2001-09-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Molecular Markers for Cultivar Identification and PBR Authors: Ghosh, Syamal Krishna; Sarkar, Chitore Kr Guha; Datta, Subhojit Abstract: Identification of plant varieties is important in many areas of agriculture, marketing, research and development and for protection of Plant Breeders Right (PBR). Molecular marker techniques based on DNA profiling provide novel approaches for cultivar identification. They offer advantages for comparison over morphological and biochemical markers, with respect to resolving power, cost effectiveness, testing at any stages of development, rapidity, environment independent expression and produce an array of polymorphism. Markers such as RFLP, RAPD, SSR, STS, AFLP, SNP are used for DNA fingerprinting and a comparative analysis was made among these markers for cultivar identification. With the revised who regime and privatization of agricultural research, PBR is a prerequisite for investment in plant breeding and who has provided under UPOV the protection of plant varieties by patents or by sui generis system like PBR. Identification of plant cultivars has become increasingly important with the requirement of PBR to demonstrate distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) for each new cultivar. In this context, molecular profiling helps in the finding and creation of minor variants from initial varieties and can be used to demonstrate the DUS of the variety. DNA profiling has not yet been adopted by UPOV as an essential character but this may be included as supplementary character information and it is expected to become the preferred method for characterization of cultivars in future. In this discussion an attempt was taken to know about the molecular markers for plant cultivar identification as well as their role and effectiveness. Page(s): 377-388

Intellectual Property Management in India: New Challenges and Opportunities Ahead*

2001-09-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Intellectual Property Management in India: New Challenges and Opportunities Ahead* Authors: Mashelkar, R A Abstract: Paper identifies important areas of IPR which require immediate attention. Discusses key IPR issues. The need for IP awareness campaign in the country is stressed. The challenges before the Indian industry in respect of IPR are discussed. New national level initiatives taken in this direction are given, specially the announcement of the IP policy of CSIR. A vision view of a national patent mission is presented. Page(s): 369-376