On September 23, 2025, the CGPDTM released the Guidelines for Examination of AYUSH Related Inventions (‘Guidelines’). These Guidelines are aimed at providing clarity on the filing and processing of patent applications for inventions related to traditional and non-codified healthcare systems, including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy, and Yoga & Naturopathy. The Guidelines complement the existing guidelines for processing of patent applications relating to traditional knowledge and biological material, which were issued in 2012.
The Guidelines include a list of common categories of AYUSH-related inventions and broadly provide six guiding principles for evaluating their patentability. These principles, though not exhaustive, offer a framework for examiners to assess patent applications. The patentability of each invention will be determined based on its merits, and in accordance with the provisions of the Patent Act, 1970, the Patent Rules, 2003 as well as the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Specifically, the Guidelines address compliance with Section 2 and Section 3 of the Patents Act, 1970, and Section 6 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Source: Guidelines for Examination of AYUSH Related Inventions, 2025.