CUTS Institute for Regulation & Competition

Projects Completed:

CompIP Project Overview: CUTS Institute for Regulation & Competition (CIRC), along with Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS International), undertook an empirical research to facilitate the promotion of a balanced IP regulatory framework that fosters technological innovations, resulting in benefits to consumers and producers in India. The project is completed in three phases. The first phase focuses on issues and challenges pertaining to standard essential patents. The second phase involves a survey of technology start-ups in India aiming to find out how startups construe IP protection and based on evidence whether its use and conditions can be improved. It also provides a window to see how IPRs are structured in India and whether it is evolving to meet the challenges of the changing environment. The third and final phase of the project is an extension of phase two which aims to provide a richer understanding of the patenting activity, motivation and challenges of the technology start-ups in India through case study method to bring out the nuances that the broad survey method is not able to capture. Through these research studies, several issues and regulatory gaps in India’s IP regime are identified and recommendations are provided to address them. Project details: compip.circ.in

Regional Inclusive Growth Project Overview: Regional project to research and promote the role of the internet in promoting inclusive growth. Research on how digital tools and platforms can help consumers in facilitating goods and services at a much lower cost, as compared to conventional practices. The research would embed the set objectives of removing barriers, improving digital literacy and empowering the consumers.

National Public Procurement Observatory (NPPO Project). The National Public Procurement Observatory is a modest attempt to track developments in India’s procurement framework and practice, and analyse them. It will focus on three broad aspects of procurement practice, viz. Transparency, Efficiency and Competition.