In a promising development for India’s innovation landscape, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)’s KAPILA initiative has catalyzed a 39% increase in patent filings from higher education institutions over the past five years. Launched in 2020, the KAPILA (Kalam Program for IP Literacy and Awareness) scheme aims to foster a culture of intellectual property (IP) awareness and innovation among students, researchers, and faculty in technical institutions across the country.
The program, named in honor of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has made significant strides in transforming academic research into patentable technologies. According to AICTE officials, the rise in patent filings is a testament to the growing awareness and engagement in IP rights, encouraged by KAPILA’s structured training, workshops, and financial support for filing patents.
Building an Innovation Ecosystem
Before the implementation of KAPILA, many researchers and academic institutions faced challenges in navigating the complex processes involved in IP filings. The initiative addressed this gap by offering financial support for patent application fees and organizing extensive IP literacy campaigns across engineering and science colleges.
“KAPILA has democratized access to IP knowledge. Today, students and faculty are not only more aware of their rights but are also more motivated to innovate with real-world applicability,” said an AICTE spokesperson. “This 39% rise reflects a fundamental shift in how institutions perceive research and intellectual property.”
In addition to supporting individual filings, KAPILA has encouraged group projects and interdisciplinary collaborations, leading to stronger, more commercially viable patents. Several universities have reported a surge in technology transfer agreements, startup incubations, and research commercialization, thanks to heightened IP consciousness.
Opportunities for Streamlining
Despite the success, stakeholders suggest there is room for improvement in making the system more accessible and efficient. Simplifying the reimbursement process for patent filing expenses and introducing features like bulk data uploads in universally accepted formats could significantly enhance the user experience.
“While the initiative has been a game-changer, administrative challenges still deter many potential applicants,” said Dr. Meera Shah, IP coordinator at a leading university. “The ability to submit multiple entries through a common platform and formats like Excel or CSV would save time and reduce the risk of errors.”
Further, there is a call for the integration of AI-based tools to assist with prior art searches, patent drafting, and classification—features that would not only reduce the workload on applicants but also improve the quality of patent submissions.
Regional Reach and Future Goals
One of KAPILA’s major achievements has been its outreach to Tier-II and Tier-III cities, where innovation potential often goes untapped due to lack of exposure and resources. Through webinars, campus campaigns, and the involvement of Innovation Councils, KAPILA has made IP literacy part of the mainstream academic discourse.
Looking ahead, AICTE plans to enhance the platform by partnering with IP professionals and industry mentors to support patent commercialization, a crucial step toward transforming academic innovation into market-ready solutions.
As India aspires to become a global knowledge economy, initiatives like KAPILA are crucial to nurturing homegrown inventors and safeguarding their intellectual contributions. With further improvements in user-friendliness and support systems, the initiative could pave the way for a more robust, inclusive, and innovation-driven academic ecosystem.