CHAPTER II – APPLICATION FOR PATENTS

1. Period within which proof of the right under section 7(2) to make the application shall be furnished.

Where, in an application for a patent made by virtue of an assignment of the right to apply for the patent for the invention, if the proof of the right to make the application is not furnished with the application, the applicant shall within a period of six months after the filing of such application furnish such proof.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this rule, the six months period in case of an application corresponding to an international application in which India is designated shall be reckoned from the actual date on which the corresponding application is filed in India.

2. Order of recording applications.

The applications filed in a year shall constitute a series identified by the year of such filing. In case of an application filed corresponding to an international application in which India is designated, such application shall constitute a series distinct from the rest of the applications identified by the year of filing of corresponding applications in India.

3. Statement and undertaking regarding foreign applications.

1. (1) The statement and undertaking required to be filed by an applicant for a patent under sub-section (1) of section 8 shall be made in Form 3.
2. (1A) The period within which the applicant shall file the statement and undertaking under sub-section (1) of section 8 shall be six months from the date of filing the application. Except for the updated Form-3 regarding corresponding applications filed in foreign jurisdictions, which shall be furnished within three months from the issuance of the first statement of objections under sub-rule (3) of rule 24B or sub-rule (8) of rule 24C.

Explanation.—For the purpose of this rule, the period of six months in case of an application corresponding to an international application in which India is designated shall be reckoned from the actual date on which the corresponding application is filed in India.

3. (2) The time within which the applicant for a patent shall keep the Controller informed of the details in respect of other applications filed in any country in the undertaking to be given by him under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 8 shall be three months from the date of issuance of first statement of objections under sub-rule (3) of rule 24B or sub-rule (8) of rule 24C.
4. (3) The Controller may, use accessible and available databases, for considering the information relating to applications filed in a country outside India.
5. (4) The Controller may, under sub-section (2) of section 8, for reasons to be recorded in writing, direct the applicant to furnish a fresh statement and undertaking in Form 3 within two months from the date of such communication by the Controller.
6. (5) Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules, the Controller may condone the delay or extend the time for filing Form 3 for a period up to three months upon a request made in Form 4.

4. Specifications.

1. (1) Every specification, whether provisional or complete, shall be made in Form 2.
2. (2) A specification in respect of a divisional application under section 16 shall contain specific reference to the number of the original application from which the divisional application is made.
3. (2A) A patent applicant may, if he so desires, file one or more further applications under section 16, including in respect of an invention disclosed in the provisional or complete specification or a further application filed under section 16.
4. (3) A specification in respect of a patent of addition under section 54 shall contain a specific reference to the number of the main patent, or the application for the main patent, as the case may be, and a definite statement that the invention comprises an improvement in, or a modification of, the invention claimed in the specification of the main patent granted or applied for.
5. (4) Where the invention requires explanation through drawing such drawings shall be prepared in accordance with the provisions of rule 15 and shall be supplied with, and referred to in detail, in the specification, including the claims where the features illustrated in the drawings shall be followed by their respective reference signs in parentheses:

   Provided that in case of a complete specification, if the applicant desires to adopt the drawings filed with the provisional specification as the drawings or part of the drawings for the complete specification, it shall be sufficient to refer to them in the complete specification as those left or filed with the provisional specification.

6. (5) Irrelevant or other matter, not necessary, in the opinion of the Controller, for elucidation of the invention, shall be excluded from the title, description, claims and drawings.
7. (6) Except in the case of an application (other than a convention application or an application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty designating India) which is accompanied by a complete specification, a declaration as to the inventorship of the invention shall be filed in Form 5 with the complete specification or at any time before the expiration of one month from the date of filing of the complete specification, as the Controller may allow on an application made in Form 4.

   Explanation.—For the purposes of this rule, the date of filing of the complete specification with respect to an application corresponding to an international application in which India is designated shall be reckoned from the actual date on which the corresponding application is filed in India.

8. (7)(a) The abstract as specified under clause (d) of sub-section (4) of section 10, accompanying the specification shall commence with the title of the invention. The title of the invention shall disclose the specific features of the invention normally in not more than fifteen words.
9. (b) The abstract shall contain a concise summary of the matter contained in the specification and the summary shall indicate clearly the technical field to which the invention belongs, technical advancement of the invention as compared to the existing Knowledge and principal use of the invention excluding any speculative use and where necessary, the abstract shall contain the chemical formula, which characterises the invention.
10. (c) The abstract may not contain more than one hundred and fifty words.
11. (d) If the specification contains any drawing, the applicant shall indicate on the abstract the figure, or exceptionally, the figures of the drawings which may accompany the abstract when published. Each main feature mentioned in the abstract and illustrated by a drawing shall be followed by the reference sign used in that drawing.
12. (e) The abstract shall be so drafted that it constitutes an efficient instrument for the purposes of searching in the particular technical field, in particular by making it possible to assess whether there is a need to consult the specification itself.
13. (8) The period within which reference to the deposit shall be made in the specification under sub-clause (A) of clause (ii) of sub-section (4) of section 10 shall be three months from the date of filing of the application:

    Provided that in case of a request for publication under rule 24A, such reference shall be made on or before the date of filing of such request.

5. Amendments to Specifications.

1. (1) When amendments are made to a provisional or complete specification or any drawing accompanying it, the pages incorporating such amendments shall be retyped and submitted to form a continuous document.
2. (2) A marked copy clearly identifying the amendments carried out and a statement clearly indicating the portion (page number and line number) of the specification or drawing being amended along with the reason shall also be filed.
3. (3) Amendments shall not be made by slips pasted on, or as footnotes or by writing in the margin of any of the said documents.
4. (4) When a retyped page or pages incorporating amendments are submitted, the corresponding earlier page shall be deemed to have been superseded and cancelled by the applicant.

6. Drawings.

1. (1) Drawings, when furnished under section 10 by the applicants otherwise than on requisition made by the Controller, shall accompany the specifications to which they relate.
2. (2) No drawings or sketch, which would require a special illustration of the specification, shall appear in the specification itself.
3. (3) At least one copy of the drawing shall be prepared neatly and clearly on a durable paper sheet.
4. (4) Drawings shall be on standard A4 size sheets with a clear margin of at least 4 cm on the top and left hand and 3cm at the bottom and right hand of every sheet.
5. (5) Drawings shall be on a scale sufficiently large to show the inventions clearly and dimensions shall not be marked on the drawings.
6. (6) Drawings shall be sequentially or systematically numbered and shall bear—
1. (i) in the left hand top corner, the name of the applicant;
2. (ii) in the right hand top corner, the number of the sheets of drawings, and the consecutive number of each sheet; and
3. (iii) in the right hand bottom corner, the signature of the applicant or his agent.
7. (7) No descriptive matter shall appear on the drawings except in the flow diagrams.

7. Models.

(1) Models or samples shall be furnished under section 10 only when required by the Controller.