Kerala - Kochi   

‘Interests of copyright holders, users need to be balanced’

KOCHI: Innovative ideas have to be worked out on how to promote creativity in the digital environment and to strike an appropriate balance between the interests of copyright holders and users, Amit Khare, Joint Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), has said.

In his presidential address at the two-day conference on ‘Limitations and Exceptions to Copyright Law’ held here on Thursday, Mr. Khare said that the country needs to work out a policy where there will be exceptions to the access to knowledge. However, it should not be misused, he said.

Explaining that the representatives of visually challenged had met MHRD officials to discuss the possibilities of e-books in Braille, Mr. Khare said that efforts are on to evolve options through which the visually challenged can access information. “We have to ensure that material for the visually challenged does not get pirated and become freely available in the open market,” he said Mr. Khare also pointed out that duplication is an easy process, with the advancement of technology. However, well-intentioned duplication can also lead to backdoor piracy, he said

Delivering the inaugural address, A. Jayakrishnan, Vice-Chancellor in-charge of the Cochin University of Science and Technology, said that multi-national companies have monopolised the patent regime making it difficult for developing countries to protect their traditional knowledge. He said that knowledge of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) is important if one needs to compete with the developed countries.Stating that the country does not have patent literacy and the scientific community should be made literate on laws related to the Intellectual Property Rights, Dr. Jayakrishnan also suggested new courses on IPR and Copyright issues aimed at creating more awareness among the public on various issues related to the subject.

Officials attending the programme said that negotiations are on at various levels to discuss the country’s policy to be adopted at the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights to be held at Geneva on May 29. The event is being organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation in the wake of digitisation of information.

Experts attending the conference here will discuss copyright issues related to education, libraries, cultural media and statutory licensing. The programme is being jointly organised by the Department of Higher Education, MHRD, the HRD Chair on IPR, and the Centre for IPR studies at the Cochin University of Science and Technology.

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