Fine-Tuning the IP Approaches for Fostering Open Science: Some Insights from India

Abstract

Open science is a global movement attempting to reclaim certain core values of science. One such value is openness. Given the important role of science in political, economic, social and technological development, it is important to identify the legal and policy reforms required to promote open science. Besides analysing the benefits of open science, it is also important to analyse the challenges in practising open science, particularly in the global south. In the context of one the countries in the global south, i.e. India, this paper analyses how approaches towards intellectual property rights (IPRs) can be fine-tuned for fostering open science. This paper begins with an introduction that contextualises the discussion. Section II of this paper examines in detail the current crisis in science. Section III introduces how open science emerged as a movement to counter this crisis. It also discusses the diverse benefits and challenges of practising open science. Section IV analyses the implications of open science for the global south. In this section, we also map the evolution of the open movements in India. In Section V, we discuss how the approaches towards IPRs could be modified to foster the open science movement in India. The article concludes by highlighting some areas for future research.