Copyright Registration Processes in India

Though not mandatory by law, it is always advisable to register one’s work for copyright whereby the person gets exclusive right over his work. His work cannot be imitated, reproduced or copied in any other form as he has the legal right over his work under the Copyright Act, 1957. The Act has been amended six times from the time it has come into effect. The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 is the one that is considered the most substantial in protecting the rights of the Music and the Film Industry and in addressing its concerns. 

The main purpose of copyright registration is to protect the interests of people and their work belonging to the following areas: -

• Music
• Books
• Manuscripts
• Films
• Fashion Designs
• Training Manuals
• Software
• Literary work
• Performance
• Paintings

The Act permits registration of both, published and unpublished work. In case of registering a published piece of work, it is required that the applicant sends three copies of the work along with the application. In the case of unpublished work, the applicant needs to send the manuscript along with the application.

The process of registration of copyright

Applicants can now apply online for copyright registration at the site http://copyright.gov.in/UserRegistration/frmLoginPage.aspx. 

Step No. 1: the applicant needs to register himself at the website above. 

Step No. 2: once registered, re-open the site and enter the user id and password

Step No. 3: Click the link ‘Click for online Copyright Registration’

Step No. 4: the online registration form has four steps to it:-

• Form XIV needs to be completed with all relevant details. Once done, the form needs to be saved.
• Next, the statement of Particulars needs to be filled in and saved.
• The Statement of Further Particulars also needs to be filled in and saved. This particular form is applicable only for Literary/Dramatic, Musical and Artistic Works.
• The fourth step includes making online payment of the fees through Internet Payment gateway.

Step 5: once all the details and forms are submitted, a Diary Number is generated and SMSed/emailed to the applicant.

Step 6: the hardcopy printout of the Acknowledgment Slip and the Copyright Registration Report needs to be then sent by post to the Copyright Division, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry at its head office in New Delhi.

In case of manual filling of the application form, Form IV needs to be filled in and along with the Demand Draft sent by post to the Copyright Division at its head office. The Diary number is issued accordingly.

After filing in the application, there is a waiting period of 30 days within which objections can be filed. In case of no-objection, the application form and details are scrutinized by the examiner and in case of no-discrepancy the registration is approved and an extract sent to the Registrar for entry in the Copyright Register. In case of objection received, both parties are given a hearing and accordingly the scrutinizer proceeds ahead.