Study on Various Strategies Adopted by Educational Institutions in India for Commercialization of its Intellectual Property Rights

Abstract

The study explores the commercialization of intellectual property rights (IPR) in Indian educational institutions, focusing on strategies adopted, challenges encountered, and factors driving successful outcomes. Using a mixed-methods design, the research combines surveys from 32 institutions, statistical analyses, and qualitative interviews supported by case studies of IIT Delhi, IIM Ahmedabad, and Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The evidence from the study makes it clear that Indian educational institutions are actively filing patents, yet the majority are unable to convert these into consistent revenue streams. Findings show that while patent filings are widespread, they alone do not generate financial returns. Descriptive and analytical results demonstrate that commercialization revenue is strongly associated with executed licensing agreements and staffing strength in Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), whereas filings alone have negligible impact. Case studies highlight successful models, including licensed healthcare diagnostics at IIT Delhi, social entrepreneurship spin-offs at IIM Ahmedabad, and a water filtration system transferred by BHU, illustrating how industry partnerships and proactive transfer mechanisms create measurable impact. The study concludes that strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing IPR awareness, and expanding government incentives under the National IPR Policy (2016) are critical to increasing commercialization revenue and positioning universities as drivers of innovation-led growth.