THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Government’s substantial investment in research and development (R&D) is not translating to intellectual property outputs. Though the state allocates 0.30%of its GSDP to research, higher than the inter-state average of 0.24%, it generates only 0.14 patent applications per Rs 1 crore of research expenditure, ranking 13th among 14 major Indian states, according to a research paper in the latest edition of “Kerala Economy” from the Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation.
Since 2023-24, Kerala government has been bringing out an exclusive R&D Budget, along with the annual budget, to accelerate the state’s transition into a knowledge-based economy. But it has not made a significant impact on patent generation, showed the paper “Evidence-based financial for Kerala’s Knowledge Economy: Patent metrics for policy reform” authored by Rajesh Many, assistant professor, School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, and founding director of Centre for Technology and Human Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University. The state so far generated only 850 patents with ‘first applicants’ from Kerala.
The paper revealed disproportionate allocation for various sectors in the R&D budget. Despite receiving 44.81% of the total allocation, education-related institutions generated only 7.29% of Kerala’s patents, yielding an investment-patent ratio of 6.15. Agricultural research received 14.03% of funding but generated only 1.65% of patents, clocking the highest investment-patent ratio of 8.50.
In contrast, industrial research demonstrated highest patent productivity, generating 24% of patents while receiving just 9.16% of the allocations, with a ratio of 0.38. The environmental sector which received 0.40% of the total allocation had a patent share of 0.94%, showing a high productivity at 0.43 ratio. The sector has good potential for strategic expansion given Kerala’s natural advantages and sustainability challenges, according to the paper.
State government universities, despite substantial R&D funding, contributed only 7.29% of Kerala’s patents. Central government institutions showed higher patent productivity, 34.24%. Individual inventors constituted 36% of patent holders. “Better integration of these individual innovators with the formal innovation system could enhance overall knowledge production,” it said.
The sectoral distribution of patents showed the state has distinct technological strengths in medical technologies, analytical sciences, and emerging capabilities in digital technologies and nano technology. The report called for enhancing industrial research allocation to 15-20% of the total R&D budget allocation and environmental research to 2-3%. “Enhancing knowledge transfer mechanisms between research institutions and industry, implementing performance-based funding models, and creating targeted incentives for patent development could help address these challenges in our innovation ecosystem,” Rajesh told TNIE.
State institutions way behind in no. of patents
An analysis of patent data from 2023 onward reveals concerning patterns in Kerala’s knowledge production. Of the 100 patents produced in this period (73 in 2023 and 27 in 2024), central government institutions dominated with 66% of all patents. State institutions contributed 9% of which state government universities accounted for 7% and state government institutions just 2%. Individual inventors were responsible for 13%, while the remaining 12% came from various private institutions.
“While there is an expected lag between research investment and patent production, this delay becomes particularly problematic in fast-evolving technology sectors such as ICT. Here, delayed innovation would result in the technology becoming obsolete before it can be commercialised,” Rajesh said.