I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with both of them on previous occasions and sensed that they would do well in this exam.
Please give a round of applause to Aditi and Disha, both of whom scored a whooping 78% (234 out of a total of 300 marks). But what is even more astonishing is that both managed to score the same marks for each component of the exam. Their break up is as below:
Disha and Aditi:
Paper I: 76
Paper II: 68
Viva: 90
Both the toppers appeared for the exam in Mumbai…so more power to Mumbai as well. And one of them studied earlier at IIPS, a reputed IP training institute in Mumbai that has featured earlier on this blog.
Only 22% of the candidates who appeared for the exam (223 out of 1019) passed. For a terrific statistical profile of the results, please refer to this guest post by Rajiv Choudhry.
Without much ado, let me offer you the profiles of these toppers, who are sure to set the patent profession ablaze in the years to come.
Disha Jeswani:
Disha Jeswani is a Biotechnology Engineer from Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Mumbai. Right from her school days, Disha has been winning laurels for all-round performance. It was in the seventh semester of her engineering that she was first introduced to intellectual property…since then, there’s been no looking back.
Disha took up a position in a leading IP consultancy firm in Mumbai, InnovarIP Consulting Group. In the two years she’s been with InnovarIP, Disha has learnt a lot in various practical aspects of IP under the able mentorship of Ms. Komal Shah Bhukhanvala and Dr. Jayshree Bhatt. Her work experience has involved dealing with a variety of projects in the field of Biotechnology (rDNA Technology and Plant Biotechnology), Energy systems, Environment Technology and Waste Management, Pharmaceuticals, Biomedical appliances, Mechanical tools, Agricultural technology, Computer Algorithms and several others.
Disha is experienced in patent searching, evaluation, landscaping, infringement analysis, monitoring, drafting and prosecution of applications in India, US and the EU. She has a fair knowledge of designs, trademarks and other forms of IP as well. For her, this is just the beginning of a long and purposeful tryst with IP.
Aditi Nadkarni:
the Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa. She studied law at the Government Law College, Mumbai graduating in 2008, where she was adjudged as the “Best Student” in the final year.
Prior to her LL.B., she graduated in Life Sciences from Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai. Aditi has been a student at Institute of Intellectual Property Studies (IIPS), Mumbai where she pursued her PG Diploma in Patent Law and Practice, whilst in law school.
Ladies and Gentleman: please join SpicyIP in handing out another round of applause to these brilliant ladies!
It would be great if Indian Patent Office uploads the topper’s answer sheet on the website. One step more towards transparency. At least people who have not cleared the exam, would know where they have gone wrong and people who want to give this exam, would know how to answer. I understand it’s not possible to upload what the toppers spoke in viva(getting 90% is not a kid’s play).
Just a simple question shamnad. Is there any man who has scored 90% in Viva? Or there is a smell of biasness in case of viva.
At last but not the least, congratulations to toppers.
Congratulations to the toppers! and yes Anon, there are male candidates too who have scored 90. Check out Dr.Raj Abhyanker’s score from the Chennai Centre.
Bests,
Sai.
I forgot to add:
Shraddha.S.Damle scored the highest marks in Paper I. So yet another female victory…and proof of exceptional patent prowess on an objective exam… for all those male chauvinists out there keen on attributing their high scores only to bias! Pathetic really!
JSD,
ON a tangential note, Dr. Raj failed the exam.
Dear Anon,
I seriously don’t want to go down that ‘tangential’ path because it simply isn’t constructive. Learning to digest facts is important if we are to make a positive impact to the environment we live in. and I don’t think getting into this kind of a debate helps my cause.
Bests,
Sai.
What about the third topper. Is he a male and is he/she not from IIPS.
LOL!!
A good entertainment while reading the comments…I do not understand why there is any need to analyze such things…things are quiet transparent this time…I have observed a difference between the exam conducted last time(old pattern) and this one(new pattern). Old pattern was very discouraging and important thing is that candidates did not know where they are lacking and how fair are they doing…the new pattern is really a good attempt by IPO…especially displaying all the marks online.
I understand that the grapes are sour for some but please don’t turn a blind eye…candidates who have succeeded must not have got it in one night…they surely must have put their sincere efforts…
It’s really sad if someone could not make it in list due to fraction of percentage or missed even by 1 mark…but then Alexander is known for his victory after all!!
And for the flag-wavers for both males and females….God has not gifted fair sex with a pair of brains and two pairs of eyes and ears…so please stop that
Anyways, my heartiest congratulations to the toppers and all those who have made it with flying colors!!
regards
SC
Why SpicyIP is making this sound like the victory of IIPS? Congos to all the Qualifiers.
SpicyIP isnt making this sound like the victory of IIPS. The firts gal doesnt seem to be associated with IIPS.
Congratulations to both the toppers!
For @ Anonymous: Yes, it would be a great idea for the patent office to post the answer sheets. But those answer sheets should be of students who passed but got above average marks and it should be of different students.
The patent office does publish multiple documents regarding writing an application/claims (see for example, the guide book for filing an application and the draft patent manual). These are the exemplary answers that one should aim at.
There are quite a few people who have scored >80 in the viva and at least a few of them (both M &F) failed overall.
The patent office exam is a pass/fail exam-i.e. either one qualifies or does not qualify and all qualifiers are treated at an equal footing.
To dear Shamnad Sir,
With due respect, and being a regular follower of SpicyIP, I would like to say that this post doesn’t match the standards of what is expected from SpicyIP.
Why so much of Halla about those so called toppers. You almost tried to make them celebrities without any cause.
This year’s PA Exam shows nothing but the degrading standards of the Exam and patent office.
Vikas.
Yes very true Vikas.Congratulations to all those who have qualified.
I agree Vikas. Congratulations to all those who have cleared the PA exam.
Let’s not get away from what the Patent Agent Examination stands for: A qualifying examination.
Secondly, I believe it is illegal for a lot of people to work as “patent agents” before they qualify the exam. Which in effect lets them qualify in the exam.
Publishing the grades on an examination which tests rote learning abilities for the first paper and skills which are learnt as part of patent writing in organizations is probably questionable.
These exams are either a Pass or a Fail exam. Hats off to those who scored high marks in the exams. I am not sure this is the test of quality or lack of quality of others who have failed. This is simply the assessment of the Patent office on the suitability of candidates to represent them before the office.
Having said this, I find this exam a bit of a riddle. The Indian Patent act prohibits people from working on patent related issues unless they are patent agents. To do well in the second paper you need to be working on patent preparation for quiet a while or be part of some training institute. If you do the former you are in violation of the patent act. If you look at the profile of the students who take the exam and do well in the second paper, it’s likely to be candidates who have been exposed to patent preparation at law firms or LPOs.
129. Restrictions on practice as patent agents
(1) No person, either alone or in partnership with any other person, shall practise, describe or hold himself out as a patent agent or permit himself to be so described or held out, unless he is registered as patent agent or, as the case may be, unless he and all his partners are so registered.
(2) No company or other body corporate shall practise, describe itself or hold itself out as patent agents or permit itself to be so described or held out.
Explanation : For the purposes of this section, practise, as a patent agent includes any of the following acts, namely,—
(a) applying for or obtaining patents in India or elsewhere;
(b) preparing specifications or other documents for the purposes of this Act or of the patent law of any other country;
(c) giving advice other than of scientific or technical nature as to the validity of patents or their infringement.
I think patent office is already over burdened with work. It will be a fantastic thing, if spicy IP team would put up model answers of Paper-1 & 2. Please take out some time for those who don’t have opportunities of being in Professional life. Most of the spicy IP members are professionals. Please give a genuine thought to it.
I was about to add a note of Congratulations yesterday but then paused a moment to see the direction of thread of comments of the bloggers that come up ..
well! I guess it has started all over again and I am not making an extra comment in this line after being already criticized for raising libel against the IPO for some loose comments which I completely take the onus of ..
so .. Congratulations Toppers !!!
as said ‘ the Winner takes it all ‘ .. no matter whether there’s been a good game or a bad game
( well ! a personal query, as the ongoing debate is again raising a quest in me to seek some answers.. ‘ is there a procedure by which you can see your evaluated paper ??? let me know’ )
@ Vikas : I agree, this sounds more like an advertisement for IIPS, instead it would have been better to give answers for paper, specially Shamnad being one of the 3 on the Examination committee.
Both of them were experienced in the field and that what it takes to clear the exam, no classroom training, no coaching center…
@Shamnad : BTW did you check the Chennai list? The Paper 1 topper was Ms. Neenu Grace Mathai with 88 marks (goes well with your Women-Ace Theory), and second being Shri Asuri Naresh Ram with 87 marks (Yes a guy!).
I think we all should stop barking on this issue further. We must realize that the PA exam is not everything. The reals exam is after this.. i.e. the actual practice. I’m a registered attorney practicing for a couple of years now and I’v seen many qualified PA’s who doesn’t even know the p of patents and then there are those who either could not qualify or did not appear in exam but are almost authority in patents. So there is no mathematical equation directly co-relating the PA exam results with the ability of candidates. Being passed, failed or toppers – they will be tested by the market only.
Regards,
Vikas
I think we all should stop barking on this issue further. We must realize that the PA exam is not everything. The reals exam is after this.. i.e. the actual practice. I’m a registered attorney practicing for a couple of years now and I’v seen many qualified PA’s who doesn’t even know the p of patents and then there are those who either could not qualify or did not appear in exam but are almost authority in patents. So there is no mathematical equation directly co-relating the PA exam results with the ability of candidates. Being passed, failed or toppers – they will be tested by the market only.
Regards,
Vikas
@ Vikas- I completely agree with you. You have said it well and right…
@Anon 10.58 I agree. The point with respect to disclosure of grades. Please look at the Bar Council of India. They are not going to disclose the grades and make people toppers of the bar examination.
http://www.barcouncilofindia.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/AIBEPresentation.pdf
I think the patent office with their qualifying examination should do the same and disclose the grades to anyone who has failed and on a personal request. Those who pass the exam are just that.
Hearty Congratulations to the toppers and all the those who cleared the Patent agent exam.
In spite of all the controversies surrounding the lady achievers……they truly are an inspiration.
Cheers!