Scientists conducting research using public funds may soon get a share in the intellectual property rights (IPRs) for their discoveries and inventions.In a move to encourage research in state-funded laboratories, government is planning to enact a legislation on the lines of the Bayh-Dole Act in the US which spurred applied research in American universities.In India the IPRs on discoveries and inventions resulting out of research using state funds rest with the government.The government plans to introduce the Public Funded Research and Development (Protection, Utilisation and Regulation of Intellectual Property) Bill in the Parliament session beginning Friday aims in a bid to give scientists a share in the IPRs.Addressing a seminar here on Thursday, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said, the Bill would be introduced in Parliament very soon.The Bill, which was on the agenda of the cabinet meeting, was withdrawn at the last minute by Sibal who felt it still needed some fine-tuning."I realised it needed dotting of 'i's and crossing of 't's. We will bring it to the cabinet again very soon," he said.
