There is a surge in the amount of intellectual property being registered in India due to an increase in awareness among people about intellectual property laws and the advancement of technology, allowing for online registration of many of the type of intellectual property being created. Copyright registration is one of the key types of intellectual property protection and allows for the protection of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works.
COPYRIGHT BASICS
Copyright is a right to ownership and enjoyment given by the law to creators of literary, dramatic, musical, artistic works and producers of cinematograph films and sound recordings. It is a bundle of rights comprising of rights to reproduction, communication to the public, adaptation and translation of the work. Copyright ensures certain minimum safeguards of the rights of ownership and enjoyment of the authors over their creations, thereby protecting and rewarding creativity.
COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION
A limited amount of copyright protection comes into existence as soon as a work is created, and no formality is required to be completed for acquiring copyright. However, to prove ownership over copyright and to serve as prima-facie evidence in the court of law, works can be registered in the Register of Copyrights maintained in the Copyright Office of the Department of Education. To copyright registration application is to be made on Form IV in a requisite manner along with the applicable fee. Both published and unpublished works can be copyrighted. In the case of published work, three copies of the published work have to be presented along with the application. In case of unpublished work, a copy of the manuscript has to be sent along with the application for affixing the stamp of the Copyright Office in proof of the work having been registered.
Copyright protection typically lasts for 60 years. In the case of original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, the 60-year period is counted from the year following the death of the author. In the case of cinematograph films, sound recordings, photographs, posthumous publications, anonymous and pseudonymous publications, works of government and works of international organizations, the 60 year period is counted from the date of publication