In response to some of the comments requesting for pointers on filing Right to Information applications for photocopies of the answer sheets of the patent office examination, I’ve pasted below a draft RTI application that can be filed with the Patent Office. The applicantion can either be submitted in person to the patent office or alternately, it can be sent through registered post. The fee of Rs. 10 can be sent through either a DD or an Indian postal order, which can be picked up from any branch of the Indian Post Office. The DD/IPO has to be made out to the Controller of Patents, Mumbai. In my experience the Mumbai Patent Office has a very efficient Public Information Officer and I’m sure he will be more than co-operative. Best of luck!
To,
Central Public Information Officer,
The Patent Office,
Boudhik Sampada Bhawan,
Near Antop Hill Post Office, S.M.Road,
Antop Hill, Mumbai – 400 037.
Phone : 24137701.
Respected Sir,
Sub: Application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005
You are requested to please consider the following as an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
• The application pertains to the results of the ‘Patent Agent Examination – 2011’ released under Notification bearing No. CG/PAE/2011. I had appeared for this examination and my roll number for this examination is _____________. I request you to please provide me with ‘photocopies’ of my answer-sheet as marked by the Patent Office.
• In case I am required to pay for photocopying of my answer-sheet, you are requested to please inform me of the amount required to be paid by me for the purpose of photocopying. Please note that the entire process is required to be concluded within 30 days. I therefore request you to inform me of the cost of photocopying as soon as possible.
Further as provided under Section 6 (3) of the Right to Information Act, in case this application does not fall under your authority, I request you to transfer the same in the designated time (5 days) to the concerned authority and inform me of the same immediately.
To the best of my knowledge the information sought does not fall within the restrictions contained in Section 8 and 9 of the Act and it pertains to your office.
A fee of Rs. 10 (Rupees Ten Only) has been deposited via the attached Postal Order.
Warm Regards,
Name, Date,
Return Address
Prashant though you have mentioned the patent examination, the notification and provided for details of the candidate, the request for photocopies etc…..the need and reason for the photocopies requested has not been explicitly mentioned.
On the same lines you have mentioned the period of 30 days for the process – again not mentioning for what “process” and the date from when the period starts.
Hope you modify the draft.
Best Wishes,
Seema
Seema – You don’t need to give a reason for the filing of a RTI application. Anybody can do it without a reason. As for the ‘process’ anybody conversant with the RTI Act is aware of what I meant, especially Central Public Information Officers.
Prashant
Prashant,
Thanks a lot for taking the pains to draft a RTI petition
For mumbai, the person to whom the RTI application should be addressed is
Shri. N. Ramchander,
Assistant Controller of Patents & Designs
Right?
The Patent Office has given out an format of application. check the ‘how to apply’ tab of the following link :
http://ipindia.nic.in/rti/index.htm
The name and designation of the central public information officers has also been spelt out explicitly for individual Offices in another tab in the same page.
and about rest, Prashant did a good job in taking the pain of drafting an application for the bloggers
good work Prashant! Spicyip is torch bearer in reform of Patent Office in India!
What you have stated is right…but all who intend to make the application are not conversant with the RTI Act nor the “process”.
Just thought should suggest the change so everyone applying would know what they are doing.
No hard feelings!!
Don’t worry, not hard feelings!
Cheers,
Prashant
Thanks a lot Prashant. I am sure the format of filing RTI application is very helpful and evrybody would have an idea for applying. this is really a good work.
Everyone, here is one piece of information which I would like to share with you all. A couple of days back, I myself contacted the patent office Delhi and Mumbai administrative staff about the PAE 2011 answer sheets re-evaluation protocol. The Delhi people put the onus of burden on the Mumbai branch and when I contacted the Mumbai Patent Office( surprisingly after waiting for 3 days finally someone sensible picked up the call), the lady informed me that there is no such procedure for re- evaluation, but after I added that under RTI Act 2005, there is a legible procedure to file an application for the copies of answer sheets, she was totally confused. Finally, I decided to move on rather than wasting time around with these people. But still the RTI application draft is certainly a gesture from the spicy IP team.
Thanks
See As rightly pointed out by Seema not everyone is aware of the RTI Act, its applicability or its use.
Prashant, very useful letter to RTI,excellent awareness
Hi Prashant,
Am going to submit the RTI application soon. Should I submit it tothe RTI officer directly? Will I get some acknowledgement receipt for it?
You can either go to the patent office and get the application stamped or alternatively you could just send it through registered post and ask the post office for a receipt of delivery.
Prashant
I have filed RTI regarding this matter. Till now no response. Even I sent reminders and also trying to connect them but no body is responding. Can any body plz suggest what to do. Its near about a 20-25 days I didnt got any response.
Please advise.
I had sent the RTI applicaation through post. I have got a receipt from the Patent office too.
What should be my response now?
Dear All,
I am the regular reader of this blog. This is my first post on this blog and I am feeling proud to be a part of such an intelligent team.
I missed by just 4 marks in Patent agent exam 2011. I filed an RTI for my answersheets in the format prescribed in this blog and got my answersheets well in time. Please guide me what all things I need to check in my sheets.
Hi Rohit – Good to know you’ve been given your answer-sheets. I guess you just need to check whether they have corrected your answer-sheet properly.
Best,
Prashant