New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) A few instances of misuse of publicly accessible information from the intellectual property (IP) website for unethical purposes have been reported, Parliament was informed on Friday.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Jitin Prasada said that while IP laws lack specific provisions to address such issues, the Information Technology Act, 2000 criminalizes unauthorized access, alteration, or damage to data with dishonest or fraudulent intent, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 provides stringent provisions to address such issues.

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Recently, he said, the government has implemented measures to enhance data management systems in IP offices, ensuring greater robustness, transparency, and confidentiality at every stage of processing IP applications.

"A few instances of misuse of publicly accessible information from the IP India website for unethical purposes have been reported," the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry said.

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The IP office undertakes proceedings in respect of two types of applications - published and unpublished.

Unpublished IP applications remain confidential and are not accessible to the public as their details are kept confidential for a specified period of time, after which they are published in accordance with the relevant IP statutory provisions.

The office has limited scope in maintaining secrecy of data of published applications that is statutorily required to be made publicly accessible after the specified period is over.

In a separate reply, the minister informed that over the past decade, the government has further augmented manpower in the Patent Office to deliver timely quality services to the stakeholders.

With the addition of 500 more posts of examiners and controllers during 2022-23, the sanctioned manpower in the Patent Office has been increased from 431 in 2014 to 1,433 in 2024.

"Similarly, the working strength has risen by 196 per cent, from 281 in 2014 to 833 in 2024. Moreover, the recruitment for 550 posts of examiners has been completed, and they are set to join in January 2025," he said.

Further on a separate question on exports, the minister said that the exports are impacted by persisting geopolitical tensions including Russia-Ukraine conflict, Israel-Palestine conflict, and monetary tightening alongwith recessionary fears that have led to a decline in consumer spending across advanced nations and the consequential slowdown in demands.

The fall in commodity prices in petroleum, coal, has also impacted shipments.

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