Update: How to prepare for the Patent Agent Examination in India

It is a pleasure to announce that a couple of days after this blog went online, the CGPDTM website has notified the following:

Patent Agent Examination:- This office has been receiving frequent queries regarding plan of conducting Patent Agent Examination. In this regard, it is clarified that same is likely to be held before December, 2016. Detail information regarding same will be published on official website after finalization of schedules and other official requirements (19 July, 2016)

We will keep you posted for more recent updates.

Original Story follows:

Short Answer: You convince the government that they SHOULD arrange for the examination and then prepare like you would do anyway

Long Answer: I don't know. Rant follows:

The Department Of Industrial Policy & Promotion, which is responsible for conducting the "yearly" patent agent exams managed to 
organize only one exam from 2011 to 2016. There were quite a number of litigation cases challenging the system of the tests and 
even claiming nepotism while passing candidates which somehow resulted in the DIPP deciding that it will not bother conducting 
the tests.

Being the lawyer that I am today, I decided to follow it up with an RTI. These were the five questions I asked hoping to wake someone 

from slumber:

1. When is the next Patent Agent Examination scheduled.

2. Which authority is responsible for conduction of Patent Agent Examination.

3. Is there any research conducted to determine the need of patent agents in India. If yes, share details

4. Why has the Patent Agent Examination not been conducted from past three years.

5. Is there any litigation pending in courts of India stalling the process of conduction of Patent Agent Examination. If yes, share details.

Here I am posting the response of the government for your benefit:

A hundred percent FDI in E commerce allowed in India

According to the Livemint, the Indian government permitted 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the marketplace model of e-commerce retailing on Tuesday 29 March, 2016

India has seen fast growth of E-commerce spaces in recent years, which has also led to confusion due to various restrictive laws. Players like Flipkart, Snapdeal, PayTM, Amazon and E Bay have remodeled themselves from time to time in order to meet the compliance requirements in the country. There are various litigations pending in the courts of the country involving the status of these companies as well. 

source

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion [DIPP] has now defined “e-commerce”, “inventory-based model” and “market place model”, it is reported.

The marketplace model of e-commerce means providing of an IT platform by an e-commerce entity on a digital and electronic network to act as a facilitator between buyer and seller.

The inventory-based model of e-commerce means an e-commerce activity where inventory of goods and services is owned by e-commerce entity and is sold to consumers directly, according to the guidelines.

While a marketplace model will be B2B model, the inventory based shall be B2C. Any marketplace shall not be allowed to sell more than 25% of the sales from one vendor or their group companies, it reported.

These guidelines are provided to help clarify the regulations for various models of businesses. India already allows 100% FDI in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce.

You can email me on harleen@oncallattorney.in for a whitepaper on growth of e-commerce in India through a case study.