WTO & IPR

ASSIGNMENT

COPYRIGHTS

SUBMITTED TO:

SUBMITTED BY:

JAGATJYOTI BARUA

ARUN NAIR
(03096403913)
MBA 2ND SHIFT (SECTION-C)

Question 1:
Find out the estimate of losses incurred by the Indian movie and music industry
on account of pirated copyright.
Answer
Indias BOLLYWOOD FILM INDUSTRY, the largest producer of films in the world, is severely
threatened by physical and online piracy. According to a 2008 report by the US India Business
Council and Ernst & Young, the Indian film industry lost US $959 million in revenue and around
570,000 jobs due to piracy.
Another report by the US-India Business Council and the US Chamber of Commerces Global
Intellectual Property Centre reveals that losses to the industry from trade in illegal CDs, DVDs,
music downloads and cable television account for 38% of potential sales or approximately US
$4 billion.
The Indian music industry reported an estimated a total loss of $431 million in 2012 alone due
to piracy.

Question 2:
What have been the laws enacted by the Indian Government to curb copyrighted
piracy?
Answer In India, the first legislation of its kind, the Indian copyright Act, was passed in1914,
which was mainly based on the UK Copyright Act 1911.
During the last four decades modernization and advancement necessitated that a
comprehensive legislation may be introduced to completely revise the copyright law. To this
effect a Copyright Bill, 1957 was introduced in the parliament.
Various Indian copyright laws are as follows:

The Copyright Act 1914

The Copyright Act 1957
The Copyright (Amendment) Act 1983
The Copyright (Amendment) Act 1984
Copyright Cess Bill 1992
The Copyright (Amendment) Act 1992
The Copyright (Amendment) Act 1994
The Copyright (Amendment) Act 1984

Question 3:
Discuss the copyrights law in India. Prepare a list of the copyrights registered in
the last decade.
Answer
Copyright is a form of intellectual property protection granted under Indian law to the creators of
original works of authorship such as literary works (including computer programs, tables and
compilations including computer databases which may be expressed in words, codes, schemes

or in any other form, including a machine readable medium), dramatic, musical and artistic
works, cinematographic films and sound recordings.
Copyright law protects expressions of ideas rather than the ideas themselves. Under section 13
of the Copyright Act 1957, copyright protection is conferred on literary works, dramatic works,
musical works, artistic works, cinematograph films and sound recording. For example, books,
computer programs are protected under the Act as literary works.
Copyright refers to a bundle of exclusive rights vested in the owner of copyright by virtue of
Section 14 of the Act. These rights can be exercised only by the owner of copyright or by any
other person who is duly licensed in this regard by the owner of copyright. These rights include
the right of adaptation, right of reproduction, right of publication, right to make translations,
communication to public etc.
The Copyright Act, 1957(Act No. 14 of 1957) governs the laws & applicable rules related to the
subject of copyrights in India. Copyright Law in the country was governed by the Copyright Act
of 1914, was essentially the extension of the British Copyright Act, 1911 to India, and borrowed
extensively from the new Copyright Act of the United Kingdom of 1956. All copyright related
laws are governed by the Copyright Act, 1957. The Copyright Act today is compliant with most
international conventions and treaties in the field of copyrights