QUIZ – 2020: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 1 June 2020

Solution: b)

What is a Geographical Indication?

• It is an indication
• It originates from a definite geographical territory.
• It is used to identify agricultural, natural or manufactured goods
• The manufactured goods should be produced or processed or prepared in that territory.
• It should have a special quality or reputation or other characteristics

A trade mark is a sign which is used in the course of trade and it distinguishes goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises.

Whereas a geographical indication is an indication used to identify goods having special characteristics originating from a definite geographical territory.

The law of Geographical Indications (GIs) is linked to terroir, that is the quality of a product is essentially attributable to the territory where the product originates. GIs support local production and are an important economic tool for the uplift of rural and tribal communities. Unlike other Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) which guarantee the protection of individual interest, GI is a collective right.

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Solution: c)

A Patent is a statutory right for an invention granted for a limited period of time to the patentee by the Government, in exchange of full disclosure of his invention for excluding others, from making, using, selling, importing the patented product or process for producing that product for those purposes without his consent.

The term of every patent granted is 20 years from the date of filing of application. However, for application filed under national phase under Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the term of patent will be 20 years from the international filing date accorded under PCT.

The patent system in India is governed by the Patents Act, 1970 (No.39 of 1970) as amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005 and the Patents Rules, 2003. The Patent Rules are regularly amended in consonance with the changing environment, most recent being in 2016.

Patent protection is a territorial right and therefore it is effective only within the territory of India. There is no concept of global patent. However, filing an application in India enables the applicant to file a corresponding application for same invention in convention countries or under PCT, within or before expiry of twelve months from the filing date in India. Patents should be obtained in each country where the applicant requires protection of his invention.

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Solution: d)

What types of inventions are not patentable in India?

An invention may satisfy the condition of novelty, inventiveness and usefulness but it may not qualify for a patent under the following situations:

1) an invention which is frivolous or which claims anything obviously contrary to well established natural laws;

2) an invention the primary or intended use or commercial exploitation of which could be contrary to public order or morality or which causes serious prejudice to human, animal or plant life or health or to the environment;

3) the mere discovery of scientific principle or the formulation of an abstract theory or discovery of any living thing or non-living substance occurring in nature;

4) the mere discovery of a new form of a known substance which does not result in enhancement of the known efficacy of that substance or the mere discovery of any new property or new use for a known substance or of the mere use of a known process, machine or apparatus unless such known process results in a new product or employs at least one new reactant;

Explanation: For the purposes of this clause, salts, esters, ethers, polymorphs, metabolites, pure form, particle size, isomers, mixtures of isomers, complexes, combinations and other derivatives of known substance shall be considered to be the same substance, unless they differ significantly in properties with regards to efficacy;

5) a substance obtained by mere admixture resulting only in the aggregation of the properties of the components thereof or a process for producing such substance;

6) the mere arrangement or re-arrangement or duplication of known devices each functioning independently of one another in a known way;

7) a method of agriculture or horticulture;

8) any process for medicinal, surgical, curative, prophylactic (diagnostic, therapeutic) or other treatment of human beings or any process for a similar treatment of animals to render them free of disease or to increase their economic value or that of their products;

9) plants and animals in whole or any part thereof other than microorganisms but including seeds, varieties and species and essentially biological processes for production or propagation of plants and animals;

10) a mathematical or business method or a computer program per se or algorithms;

11) a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work or any other aesthetic creation whatsoever including cinematographic works and television productions;

12) a mere scheme or rule or method of performing mental act or method of playing game;

13) a presentation of information;

14) topography of integrated circuits;

15) an invention which, in effect, is traditional knowledge or which is an aggregation or duplication of known properties of traditionally known component or components;

16) inventions relating to atomic energy;

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Solution: b)

Recently Egypt reopened the Pyramid of Djoser, the first pyramid ever built, after a 14-year restoration.

The pyramid had sustained serious damage during an earthquake in 1992, and was on the verge of collapse when renovations started in 2006.

It is located at the Saqqara archaeological site, 24 km southwest of Cairo, outside the royal capital of Memphis.

The Djoser pyramid is the world’s oldest monumental stone building.

It is a UNESCO world heritage site.

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Solution: c)

Chile, in its role as the Presidency of the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) to the UNFCCC, launched the Platform for Science-Based Ocean Solutions (PSBOS). The Platform aims to promote the necessity of addressing ocean and climate issues synergistically and to encourage the incorporation of the ocean in country climate commitments and strategies.

The Platform of Science-based Ocean Solutions aims “to enhance the sharing of knowledge created by various actors in the ocean and climate community to advance ocean-climate action”.

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