Intellectual Property Law · Paper 405

The Exam Priority Guide

Decoded from 12 Osmania University question papers, 2016 to 2025.

Papers analysed

Units covered

12 hrs

Covers the paper

1. Where the Marks Live

Every unit, ranked by its real share of the paper.

Unit	Focus	Weight
Unit III	Copyright	25%
Unit IV	Trademarks & Designs	23%
Unit V	Patents	22%
Unit I	Introduction to IP	15%
Unit II	International Protection	15%

Copyright is the heaviest unit at 25%. Unlike other papers where 1-2 units dominate, IPL distributes fairly evenly — every paper tests all five forms of IP. No unit is ever skipped.

2. Part A: Short Note Questions (6 marks)

Answer any 5 of 8 · ranked by frequency across 12 papers.

#1Unit I7x askedLast: 2025ABSOLUTE

Geographical Indications

Registration under GI Act 2003. Product linked to geographical origin. Darjeeling Tea, Basmati Rice. Community right, not individual.

#2Unit I5x askedLast: 2024VERY HIGH

Plant Varieties Protection

PPVFR Act 2001. Sui generis system. Farmers' rights. Distinct, uniform, stable. Not patentable under S.3(j) Patents Act.

#3Unit III5x askedLast: 2023VERY HIGH

Author's Special Rights / Moral Rights

S.57 Copyright Act. Right of paternity and integrity. Cannot be assigned. Survive transfer of economic rights.

#4Unit IV4x askedLast: 2022VERY HIGH

Passing Off

Common law remedy. No registration needed. Goodwill + misrepresentation + damage. Reckitt & Colman v Borden (Jif Lemon).

#5Unit IV4x askedLast: 2025VERY HIGH

Well-Known Trademarks

S.2(1)(zg) TM Act. Trans-border reputation. Protection beyond registered class. McDonald's, Coca-Cola.

#6Unit V4x askedLast: 2024VERY HIGH

Kinds of Patents

Product patent, process patent, improvement patent. Patent of addition. Convention patent. Section 5 history.

#7Unit V4x askedLast: 2025VERY HIGH

Compulsory Licensing

S.84 Patents Act. Not worked for 3 years. Reasonable requirements not satisfied. Natco v Bayer (Nexavar) 2012.

#8Unit IV3x askedLast: 2025HIGH

S.15 Copyright Act. Registered design — no copyright. Unregistered — copyright subsists. Overlap exclusion.

#9Unit V3x askedLast: 2022HIGH

Right to Secrecy

S.35 Patents Act. Defence-related inventions. Controller may restrict publication. National security override.

#10Unit III3x askedLast: 2022HIGH

Neighbouring Rights

Performers (S.38), broadcasters (S.37), sound recording producers. Related rights. Duration differs from copyright.

#11Unit V3x askedLast: 2024HIGH

Computer Programmes

S.3(k) Patents Act: not patentable per se. S.2(o) Copyright Act: literary work. Dual protection limited.

#12Unit III2x askedLast: 2024HIGH

Anton Pillar Order

Ex parte search order. Prevent destruction of evidence. Copyright/trademark infringement cases. English origin.

3. Part B: Essay Questions (15 marks)

Answer any 2 of 4 · the high-value essays.

#1Unit I7x askedLast: 2024ABSOLUTE

Meaning, nature, classification of IP

Definition, justification theories (labour, personality, incentive), five main forms, distinction from tangible property.

#2Unit III5x askedLast: 2025ABSOLUTE

Rights of Authors — economic + moral rights

S.14 economic (reproduction, adaptation, translation, communication). S.57 moral (paternity, integrity). Duration: life + 60.

#3Unit V4x askedLast: 2025ABSOLUTE

Non-patentable inventions (S.3 Patents Act)

20 exclusions. S.3(d) evergreening. S.3(j) plants/animals. S.3(k) computer per se. S.3(p) traditional knowledge.

#4Unit IV4x askedLast: 2022ABSOLUTE

Infringement of Trademark vs Passing Off

S.29 infringement (registered mark). Passing off (unregistered, common law). Both need deceptive similarity. Different remedies.

#5Unit III4x askedLast: 2024VERY HIGH

S.51 infringement. S.52 exceptions (fair dealing, education, judicial). Civil + criminal remedies. Anton Pillar orders.

#6Unit II4x askedLast: 2022VERY HIGH

TRIPS Agreement (salient features + impact)

WTO 1994. Minimum standards. National treatment. MFN. Enforcement. Dispute settlement. Doha Declaration 2001 flexibilities.

#7Unit V4x askedLast: 2024VERY HIGH

Rights and duties of Patentee

S.48 exclusive rights. S.53 term (20 years). Working requirement. Compulsory licence risk. Surrender, revocation.

#8Unit II3x askedLast: 2022HIGH

Paris Convention 1883

National treatment. Priority right (12 months patents, 6 months TM/designs). Independence of patents. 177 members.

#9Unit IV2x askedLast: 2016OVERDUE

Industrial Design (definition, rights, registration)

Designs Act 2000. S.2(d) shape/configuration/pattern. 15-year protection. Registration mandatory. No copyright overlap.

4. Part C: Problem Questions (10 marks)

Answer any 2 of 4 · the most recycled problems.

#1Unit IV6x askedLast: 2023ABSOLUTE

Trademark deceptive similarity / well-known mark infringement

S.29 TM Act. Deceptive similarity test (S.2(1)(h)). Visual, phonetic, structural comparison. Cadila v Cadila 2001.

#2Unit V5x askedLast: 2025ABSOLUTE

Traditional knowledge / traditional medicine — can it be patented?

S.3(p) Patents Act. Prior art. No novelty. Turmeric case (USPTO revoked). Neem case (EPO revoked).

#3Unit V5x askedLast: 2024ABSOLUTE

New plant variety / agricultural method — patent?

S.3(j) excludes plants/animals/seeds. PPVFR Act 2001 is proper route. Agricultural methods also excluded S.3(h).

#4Unit III5x askedLast: 2024ABSOLUTE

S.52 Copyright Act. Fair dealing for research/education. Private use. Judicial proceedings. News reporting.

#5Unit III3x askedLast: 2025VERY HIGH

Architectural design copied — copyright infringement?

S.2(c) artistic work includes architecture. Infringement if substantial part copied. No registration needed for copyright.

#6Unit V3x askedLast: 2023VERY HIGH

Computer software patent vs copyright

S.3(k): per se not patentable. Technical effect doctrine. Copyright under S.2(o). Dual protection limited.

#7Unit IV3x askedLast: 2022VERY HIGH

Passing Off — unregistered mark + reputation

Common law. Three elements: goodwill, misrepresentation, damage. No registration needed. Reckitt & Colman test.

#8Unit I3x askedLast: 2021HIGH

Geographical Indication — regional product

GI Act 2003. Community right. Registration protects origin-linked quality. Pembarti brassware, Pochampally Ikat.

5. Topics Due for Return

Long gaps since last appearance. These cycle back.

Part BLast: 2016Gap: 9 yrsOVERDUE

Industrial Design (Part B essay)

Was asked regularly before 2016. Longest gap in dataset.

Part BLast: 2017Gap: 8 yrsOVERDUE

Geographical Indications (Part B essay)

Regular rotation. Only asked in Part A recently.

Part BLast: 2018Gap: 7 yrsOVERDUE

Berne Convention (Part B essay)

Conventions rotate every 3-4 years. Overdue.

Part ALast: 2020Gap: 5 yrsOVERDUE

WIPO (Part A)

Growing relevance. Long gap.

Part A/CLast: 2022Gap: 3 yrsOVERDUE

Domain Names

Digital IP growing. Could return as problem.

6. The Study Plan: 12 Hours

Ten topic blocks. Every form of IP gets coverage.

Priority	Topic	Time
1	Copyright (infringement + exceptions + fair use + ownership)	2 hrs
2	Patents (S.3 non-patentable + rights/duties + compulsory licence)	2 hrs
3	Trademarks (infringement vs passing off + deceptive similarity)	1.5 hrs
4	Forms of IP (meaning, nature, classification)	1 hr
5	TRIPS + International Conventions (Paris, Berne, PCT)	1.5 hrs
6	Geographical Indications (+ regional product problems)	1 hr
7	Plant Varieties / Traditional Knowledge (+ patent problems)	1 hr
8	Industrial Designs (definition, rights, infringement)	1 hr
9	Digital IP (computer programmes, domain names, webcasting)	0.5 hrs
10	Authors' Rights (economic + moral + assignment)	0.5 hrs

7. Model Answers

Complete answers for Part A, B, and C. Free to download.

Download Model Answers →

8. Predicted Paper 2026

Read this first. This is a pattern-based prediction built from 12 years of past papers. It is not a leaked paper and not a guarantee. Frequency is not certainty. Use it to prioritise revision, never as a substitute for full preparation.

FACULTY OF LAWLL.B. (3-YDC) IV-Semester Examination, 2026
Intellectual Property Law
Max. Marks: 80 · Time: 3 Hours

PART A — Answer any FIVE (5 x 6 = 30)

Geographical Indications
Compulsory Licensing
Passing Off
Moral Rights of Authors
Plant Varieties Protection
Industrial Designs
Anton Pillar Order
WIPO

PART B — Answer any TWO (2 x 15 = 30)

What is Intellectual Property? Discuss the meaning, nature, and classification of IP rights with examples.
Discuss the rights of authors under the Copyright Act, 1957 — both economic and moral rights. How do they differ?
Explain the inventions that are non-patentable under Section 3 of the Patents Act, 1970. Discuss with decided cases.
What are the salient features of the Berne Convention, 1886? Discuss its impact on Indian copyright law.

PART C — Answer any TWO (2 x 10 = 20)

X develops a new herbal formulation based on traditional Ayurvedic knowledge and applies for a patent. Can the patent be granted? Decide.
A uses the mark “STAR HEALTH” for a hospital. B, who owns the registered trademark “STAR” for health services, sues for infringement. A claims the marks are different. Decide.
A teacher photocopies an entire chapter from a textbook for distribution to her class. The publisher sues for copyright infringement. The teacher claims fair use. Decide.
X develops a new variety of mango by cross-breeding. X applies for a patent. Can a patent be granted? What is the appropriate legal remedy?

More subjects, decoded the same way.

Follow @lawstories.in so you don't miss the next breakdown.

Built from 12 Osmania University papers (2016–2025) · lawstories.in
Frequency is a guide, not a guarantee. Verify case citations with your textbook.