Letter of Intent between AIM and WIPO

• 26 Jul 2024

Source: PIB

Why in News?

Recently, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) signed a Joint Letter of Intent (JLoI) with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM). The JLoI is aimed at building programs for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Intellectual Property (IP) for countries in the Global South.

• This partnership aims to enhance understanding and awareness about intellectual property rights (IPR) from the school level and unlock the innovation potential of the world, fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Note: 

• India's Innovation Ecosystem: India has made significant strides in its entrepreneurial journey and is positioned as a global leader in innovation, leveraging its vast talent pool and dynamic market to attract international investments.
  • As per the Global Innovation Index 2023 report, India retained the 40th position out of 132 economies featured.

What is Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)?

• AIM, launched in 2016, is Government of India’s flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.
  • Its objective is to develop new programmes and policies for fostering innovation in different sectors of the economy, provide platform and collaboration opportunities for different stakeholders, create awareness and create an umbrella structure to oversee the innovation ecosystem of the country.
• Major Initiatives:
  • Atal Tinkering Labs: Creating problem solving mindset across schools in India.
  • Atal Incubation Centers: Fostering world class startups and adding a new dimension to the incubator model.
  • Atal New India Challenges: Fostering product innovations and aligning them to the needs of various sectors/ministries.
  • Mentor India Campaign: A national mentor network in collaboration with the public sector, corporates and institutions, to support all the initiatives of the mission.
  • Atal Community Innovation Center: To stimulate community centric innovation and ideas in the unserved /underserved regions of the country including Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
  • Atal Research and Innovation for Small Enterprises (ARISE): To stimulate innovation and research in the MSME industry.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. Atal Innovation Mission is set up under the (2019)

(a) Department of Science and Technology

(b) Ministry of Labour and Employment

(c) NITI Aayog

(d) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Ans: (c)

Q. With reference to the ‘National Intellectual Property Rights Policy’, consider the following statements: (2017)

1. It reiterates India’s commitment to the Doha Development Agenda and the TRIPS Agreement.
2. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is the nodal agency for regulating intellectual  property rights in India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only 

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2 

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (c)