India’s patent landscape has seen unprecedented growth, with total filings crossing over1.1 lakh in 2024–25, driven largely by educational institutions. Among them, private and deemed universities dominate the top lists of patent applicants, collectively filing more applications than all 23 IITs.

Despite this volume, the narrative is nuanced. Patent filings are not equivalent to patents granted. Data shows that several private universities — such asLovely Professional University and Galgotias University— have filed thousands of patents but secured avery small fraction of grants(often well below 5%). In contrast, the IITs maintain significantlyhigher grant success rates (around 60%+), even with fewer filings.

Experts suggest thatranking mechanismslike the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and incentives for patent filing can encourage institutions to prioritise quantity over quality, which may boost rankings or attract students but doesn’t necessarily translate into genuine innovation or commercial value.

As India’s innovation ecosystem evolves, the focus is shifting from merely filing patents to ensuring they are granted and commercially meaningful — reflecting a deeper measure of research impact rather than just statistical activity.