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07 March 2024
Photo: IPO IT help desk
India’s Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks launched the Open House Helpdesk Portal in February 2024 to allow applicants and stakeholders to make queries and air their grievances using a single platform.
Through the streamlined system, resolution of matters in connection with patents, copyrights, designs, trademarks, geographical indications and semiconductor integrated circuit layout designs will be speedy and effective.
Among its features is a ticketing and notification system for tracking and communication, enabling users to be updated with regard to the resolution of their concerns.
For Raja Pannir Selvam, managing attorney at Selvam & Selvam in Chennai, the launch of the Open House Helpdesk Portal is a welcome move. However, he believes that some other initiatives need to be put in place. He said: “While we welcome this much-needed initiative, practitioners are cautiously optimistic, hoping it will endure, unlike its predecessors. While the portal addresses long-pending matters, fundamental improvements remain imperative. Implementing staff support in IP offices across India for urgent matters or publishing email IDs of designated officers for deadline-related issues could significantly enhance efficiency. Moreover, instituting accountability measures for delays in processing genuine requests is essential to combat rampant corruption within the IP Office.” Selvam added that the helpdesk is a progressive step toward achieving the goal of fighting corruption.
To access the Open House Helpdesk Portal, click here.
- Espie Angelica A. de Leon
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