Section 15 of The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001
- (1)A new variety shall be registered under this Act if it conforms to the criteria of novelty, distinctiveness, uniformity and stability.
- (2)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), an extant variety shall be registered under this Act within a specified period if it conforms to such criteria of distinctiveness, uniformity and stability as shall be specified under the regulations.
- (3)For the purposes of sub-sections (1) and (2), as the case may be, a new variety shall be deemed to be--
- (a)novel, if, at the date of filing of the application for registration for protection, the propagating or harvested material of such variety has not been sold or otherwise disposed of by or with the consent of its breeder or his successor for the purposes of exploitation of such variety--
- (i)in India, earlier than one year; or
- (ii)outside India, in the case of trees or vines earlier than six years, or in any other case, earlier than four years, before the date of filing such application: Provided that a trial of a new variety which has not been sold or otherwise disposed of shall not affect the right to protection: Provided further that the fact that on the date of filing the application for registration, the propagating or harvested material of such variety has become a matter of common knowledge other than through the aforesaid manner shall not affect the criteria of novelty for such variety;
- (b)distinct, if it is clearly distinguishable by at least one essential characteristic from any another variety whose existence is a matter of common knowledge in any country at the time of filing of the application. Explanation.--For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that the filing of an application for the granting of a breeders right to a new variety or for entering such variety in the official register of varieties in any convention country shall be deemed to render that variety a matter of common knowledge from the date of the application in case the application leads to the granting of the breeder's right or to the entry of such variety in such official register, as the case may be;
- (c)uniform, if subject to the variation that may be expected from the particular features of its propagation it is sufficiently uniform in its essential characteristics;
- (d)stable, if its essential characteristics remain unchanged after repeated propagation or, in the case of a particular cycle of propagation, at the end of each such cycle.
- (a)novel, if, at the date of filing of the application for registration for protection, the propagating or harvested material of such variety has not been sold or otherwise disposed of by or with the consent of its breeder or his successor for the purposes of exploitation of such variety--
- (4)A new variety shall not be registered under this Act if the denomination given to such variety--
- (i)is not capable of identifying such variety; or
- (ii)consists solely of figures; or
- (iii)is liable to mislead or to cause confusion concerning the characteristics, value identity of such variety or the identity of breeder of such variety; or
- (iv)is not different from every denomination which designates a variety of the same botanical species or of a closely related species registered under this Act; or
- (v)is likely to deceive the public or cause confusion in the public regarding the identity of such variety; or
- (vi)is likely to hurt the religious sentiments respectively of any class or section of the citizens of India; or
- (vii)is prohibited for use as a name or emblem for any of the purposes mentioned in section 3 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 (12 of 1950); or
- (viii)is comprised of solely or partly of geographical name: Provided that the registrar may register a variety, the denomination of which comprises solely or partly of a geographical name, if he considers that the use of such denomination in respect of such variety is an honest use under the circumstances of the case.
Summary
- A new plant variety must meet four essential criteria to be registered: novelty, distinctiveness, uniformity, and stability.
- An extant variety is exempt from proving novelty but must meet specific criteria for distinctiveness, uniformity, and stability.
- A variety is novel if its seed or harvested parts have not been sold in India more than one year before filing, or outside India for four years (six years for trees and vines).
- To be distinct, a variety must differ by at least one essential inherited feature from any other well-known variety.
- Uniformity requires that the variety's main characteristics remain sufficiently consistent, accounting for natural variations during breeding.
- Stability means the key traits of the variety must remain completely unchanged after many rounds of planting and growing.
- A variety cannot be registered if its name consists only of numbers, is misleading, hurts religious feelings, or uses prohibited national symbols.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. What are the four core requirements for registering a new variety under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001?
Under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, a new variety must be novel, distinct, uniform, and stable to qualify for registration.
2. How is novelty calculated for trees and vines under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001?
Under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, a new variety of tree or vine is novel if its material has not been sold or disposed of outside India earlier than six years before the filing date.
3. Can an extant variety be registered without being novel under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001?
Yes, under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, an extant variety can be registered within a specified period if it meets the criteria of distinctiveness, uniformity, and stability, without needing to prove novelty.
4. Under what conditions is a geographical name allowed as a variety's denomination under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001?
Under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, a geographical name is generally prohibited unless the Registrar determines that using it is an honest use under the specific circumstances.
Test yourself
Q1.Under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, what is the maximum time allowed since the first sale of a new non-tree, non-vine variety outside India for it to still be considered novel?
Q2.Under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, what happens to a variety's novelty status if its propagating material is sold in India more than one year before the application date?
Q3.Under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, which of the following denominations is strictly prohibited for a new plant variety?
Q4.Under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, what renders a new variety "stable"?
Q5.Under Section 15 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, does a preliminary trial of a new variety affect its registration eligibility?