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In today’s innovation-driven world, where corporate giants clash regularly over ideas and trademarks, copyright laws play and important role. They protect intellectual property (IP), which can be defined as any intangible property that is a product of creativity, and is covered by copyrights, patents and trademarks. With authors, musicians inventors and entrepreneurs lining up to protect their work, careers in intellectual property rights (IPR) are booming.

How it works

Intellectual property law enables individuals to claim exclusive rights and financial gain from what they invent or create, which is a benefit to both creators and the public. IP lawyers procure the right to new ideas and protect the existing creations. The job involves applying for patents, obtaining copyrights and defending it in case of infringement.

What are the job prospects?

There is a lot of patenting activity in countries across the world. And so, the field offers a plethora of jobs ranging from an IPR attorney, who has specialized in copyright infringement law, to patent specialists involved in preparing patents. Intellectual property lawyers also assist in licensing inventions, transferring proprietary technology, drafting licensing agreements, negotiating settlements, and conducting IP due diligence.

What is IP?

Intellectual property is any tangible commodity that is a product of creativity.

What are patents?

A patent is a right granted by the government to inventors in order to exclude others from copying or sharing their products without their permission.

What is a trademark?

A trademark is a word, name, symbol or device that is used in trade with goods to indicate the source of the goods and to distinguish them from the goods of others.

What is a GI tag?

A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin because of which they posses qualities or a reputation. GIs are part of the intellectual property rights that come under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. In India, GI registration is administrated by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999. GIs are typically used for agricultural products, foodstuff, handicrafts, and industrial products.

What to study?

People from different academic backgrounds can study law. Most law schools offer copyright law as a specialization with the law degree. Some offer separate short-term postgraduate diplomas on the subject.

Where:

• The Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law, IIT Kharagpur; and Amity Law School, New Delhi: Bachelor of Law (LLB) with specialization in Intellectual Property Rights.


• N.C. Banerjee Centre for Intellectual Property Rights Studies, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad: IP specialization in LLM and PG Diploma in Patent Law.


• Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal’s Institute of Intellectual Property Studies, Mumbai: PG Diploma in Patent Law and Practice and PG Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights Management.

 

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With the world dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, dietitians/nutritionists play a very important role in preventive healthcare. They evolve many diet regimes which help in improving immunity and controlling diseases. Today, people from all walks of life, including professionals, sportpersons, businessmen, housewives, and of course people suffering from chronic diseases visit dietitians.

The nutritionist/dietitian’s job is to research the nutritive value of food and understand all food advise people on eating habits and plan diets that will improve health.

With growing general awareness that preventive nutrition can prevent cancer, diabetes, heart attacks, etc. rather than treat a condition after it manifests itself clinically, the role of a dietitian/nutritionist has gained greater significance. Consequently, a career in this field has become attractive.

How to start

On complexion of class XII, science stream students have the option to enroll for the three-year B.Sc/BA course in nutrition but many students study dietetics only after a graduate degree in any one of the following disciplines: home science, medicine, science (with chemistry and/or microbiology), hotel management, and catering. Six-month/one-year certificate/diploma courses in nutrition are also offered by some institutes and universities. You can also sign up for correspondence courses in food and nutrition.

In B.Sc Home Science (Hons), a student can specialise in food & nutrition in the second and third year. The Honours programme admits only students from science backgrounds as its subjects include biochemistry, botany, physics, zoology and chemistry.

At the postgraduate level, you can either do a one-year post graduate diploma in Dietetics and Public Health Nutrition (DDPHN) or a two-year Master’s programme.

Skills and Aptitude

A person opting for a career as dietitian/nutritionist must have an interest in food/food preparation. He/she should also possess good communication skills to interact with people, individually and in groups. In addition he should have patience and a genuine concern for fellow beings.

Career options

• In hospitals, dietitians work closely with doctors to prepare diet plans for patients as per their needs. They also check quality and hygiene levels in hospital kitchen.


• In the processed food industry, a dietitian works on the development and improvement of food products and production methods.


• In hotel industry, dietitians plan for different types of guests and also supervise food production process.


• Spas and clinics hire dietitians to use them for designing healthy, low-calorie monthly food charts for their customers.


• Nutritionists have a slightly different field. They work in the areas of food science, community development, research projects and FMCG companies. Their work relates to research aspect. They go beyond diets and move into the science of biochemistry and food science.

 

Picture Credit : Google