Copyright Registration

An Overview of Copyright Registration Online in India 

You cannot imitate anyone’s work if it has a copyright. An exclusive right is granted to the owner of a work or creation by copyright. It is also possible for creators of literary, musical, dramatic, and artistic works, as well as producers of films and movies and music voice recordings, to file a copyright license over their original work. Copyright filing protects the original work from unapproved usage and therefore keeps and rewards creativity. Creators get a bundle of power and rights that includes reproduction rights, adaptation rights, communication rights, and translation rights.

Authors, producers, and performers of literary, musical, dramatic, and artistic works are granted copyrights under the law. An exclusive right to replicate, reproduce, and distribute work is granted to the Creator or owner when he registers for a Copyright. Furthermore, he can grant the right to anyone or to any entity for the same purpose. There have been numerous amendments to ‘THE COPYRIGHT ACT of 1957’, but the act still governs and manages copyrights.

The process of registering copyright online in India differs from that of registering a patent. When patents are registered, ideas are protected, whereas, in online copyright registrations, expressions and not designs are protected. Copyright ensures that the results from such an approach won’t be copied unless others are authorized to do so. So there can be more than one invention or idea. There is a 60-year validity period for copyright registration in India. Copyrights can be registered for several activities, including music, manuscripts, books, literary works, films, performances, paintings, fashion designs, training manuals, computer software, and so forth.

The Registrar of Copyrights has six categories:

• Part A. Literary works except for computer Programs
• Part B. Works related to music
• Part C. Artistic creations or Works
• Part D. Cinematography Films or movies
• Part E. Sound Recording
• Part F. Computer Programs, tables and Compilations

Advantages of Copyright Registration Online in India

Clear Testimony

Copyright protection gives clear evidence in case the judicial proceeding arises. As per the Court’s law, documentation is required to prove anything; therefore, copyright registrations allow creators to protect their creative works.

Protection extended even after the death of the Creator.

Copyright is not limited to the lifetime of its Creator; its validity and efficacy last much longer than any other intelligent asset. It is secured for the Creator’s lifespan, and it will be assured even after the author is dead for 60 years.

Public Record

An authoritative public record is granted to the creative author, assisting them in proving their possession over the related copyright issues upon completion of the global copyright registry. 

Can file Infringement

If a person has not registered with copyright, he or she cannot sue for copyright violations. With this copyright certification, the owner can file a complaint for infringement and request amends.

Guards Owner

Registration of copyright confers exclusive rights to the author of creative work. 

Brand Value

Registration of copyright provides the Creator with the right to generate goodwill in the business market, which can be used for trade purposes if the Creator so desires.

Copyright acts as an Asset.

After the copyright registration is completed, the applicant shall be considered the owner of the intellectual property. The intellectual property now works as an asset that can be applied to monetize the business.

Documents Required for Copyright Registration Online in India

• The applicant’s name, address and nationality
• Author’s Name, address and nationality 
• Nature of the applicant’s copyright concern – whether the representative of the applicant’s Creator is also the Creator of the work.
• Creator’s original work photographs
• Author’s ID proof and registration certificate in case of business operations

Nature of the Work

• Description and Class of creative work
• Creative Work’s Title
• Languages used in the Creative Work
• Date of Publication – Publication in which the work is published, such as internal magazines, a company magazine or a research paper presented to a professor, is not considered a publication

Stepwise process for Copyright registration in India

The process for copyright registration comprises the following steps:

• The first step is to file the copyright application form with the concerned Copyright Registrar, describing the work in detail. Copyright applications can be filed based on the type of work.
• Applicants must sign application forms and submit them to their authorized Power of Attorney for execution by the Advocate. Along with the necessary documents, the completed application must be submitted electronically to the Registrar of Copyrights.
• After this copyright Examiner reviews the submitted application in the period of 30 days for possible discrepancies or objections.
• Discrepancies or objections will be granted a discrepancy notice, which needs to be complied with within 30 days of the grant of the notice.
• The Copyright Office will provide the Extracts of the Register of Copyrights (ROC) once the disagreement has been resolved or if the application is satisfactory.

You will receive a diary number when you complete the first step in the copyright registration process. It will take about 12 months for the Registration process to be completed.

Frequently Asked Questions