What is patent? How to get a patent in India

What is patent

A patent is one of the many exclusive forms of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) granted to an inventor for the unique invention  

Once your patent application is filed with the Indian Patent Office, you can start writing "Patent Applied" or "Patent Pending", and start publication or commercial activities. But, any legal action is initiated after grant. 
Once the patent application is granted, you need to pay annual maintenance fees.

Advantages of Filing a Patent Application:

    Monopoly for manufacturing, importing and selling your invention in India for 20 years Reward (time, money and research) for the labor;
    Right to stop others;
    I did it! and I was first!
    Earn money through self-use or licensing or sell;
    The commercial advantage over competitors;
    Increases Brand value; and
    Projecting research abilities.

If the invention is not patented, then it becomes difficult for the owner to prevent others from stealing and using his ideas to obtain all the above-given benefits.  

The patent is granted when the invention is found to be- 
New,
Novel,
Contains an inventive step, and capable of industrial application. 
New means that the invention does not exists in the prior state of the art relating to a particular technical field.
Novelty means that the invention must not have been publicly disclosed, anywhere in the world, before the date of filing of the patent application.
The inventive step means that the invention should not be obvious or which can be anticipated by a person skilled in that prior art.
Industrial use is another criterion that has to be fulfilled before the grant of Patent.  

DURATION OF PATENT 

The patent granted in India lasts for 20 years from the date of filing.