NBA Reports Surge in IPR Filings after Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023

<h2>Overview</h2> <p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="National Biodiversity Authority — statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change that regulates access to India's biological resources and ensures compliance with the Biological Diversity Act (GS3: Environment & Biodiversity).">National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)</span> has recorded a sharp rise in <span class="key-term" data-definition="Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) — legal rights granted to creators and inventors to protect their inventions, designs, or knowledge, crucial for innovation and economic growth (GS3: Economy).">IPR</span> applications linked to Indian biological resources. The increase follows the enactment of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 — amendment to the 2002 Act that tightens the regulatory framework for access to biological resources and traditional knowledge, mandating prior registration for IPR (GS3: Environment & Biodiversity).">Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023</span>, which clarified and strengthened the approval process.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>Applicants under <span class="key-term" data-definition="Section 7 — provision of the Biological Diversity Act that deals with the requirement of obtaining prior approval for utilization of biological resources for research, development or commercial purposes (GS3: Environment & Biodiversity).">Section 7</span> must obtain a <span class="key-term" data-definition="Certificate of Registration (CoR) — document issued by the NBA certifying that an IPR application involving Indian biological resources complies with the Act, required before filing patents (GS3: Environment & Biodiversity).">Certificate of Registration (CoR)</span> before filing patents or other IPR.</li> <li>From <strong>April 2024 to March 2025</strong>, the NBA received <strong>857 IPR applications</strong> and issued <strong>792 CoRs</strong>.</li> <li>From <strong>April 2025 to March 2026</strong>, applications rose to <strong>1,077</strong>, with <strong>885 CoRs</strong> granted.</li> <li>Applications span sectors such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, agro‑chemicals, polymer technology, microbiology, biomedical engineering, textiles and food sciences.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>The amendment introduced a registration‑based system, streamlining approval pathways and enhancing transparency. By mandating prior registration, the regime aims to align commercial exploitation with <span class="key-term" data-definition="traditional knowledge — indigenous knowledge systems related to biodiversity, medicine, agriculture etc., protected under the Biodiversity Act to prevent misappropriation (GS3: Environment & Biodiversity).">traditional knowledge</span> safeguards and the principle of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Fair and equitable benefit sharing — principle that benefits arising from the use of biological resources should be shared with the resource providers, a core tenet of the Biodiversity Convention (GS3: Environment & Biodiversity).">fair and equitable benefit sharing</span>. The NBA’s faster disposal of applications signals improved regulatory efficiency.</p> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>Understanding this development is vital for GS‑3 (Environment & Biodiversity) and GS‑2 (Polity) aspirants. It illustrates how India implements its obligations under the <em>Convention on Biological Diversity</em>, balances innovation with conservation, and operationalises the “access and benefit‑sharing” (ABS) framework. Questions may probe the role of the NBA, the impact of the amendment on research & industry, or the challenges of monitoring compliance.</p> <h3>Way Forward</h3> <p>To sustain the positive trend, the government could:</p> <ul> <li>Strengthen capacity of the NBA for faster verification of applications.</li> <li>Promote awareness among researchers and SMEs about the CoR requirement.</li> <li>Integrate digital tracking of benefit‑sharing agreements to ensure transparency.</li> <li>Periodically review the amendment to address emerging biotechnological advances.</li> </ul> <p>These steps would reinforce a responsible innovation ecosystem that respects biodiversity while fostering economic growth.</p>