Guys ..We know that it is late for India to look into this serious matter of Software Piracy, but as the saying goes “Better late than never” ,India is taking some steps to control this menace .The rate of personal computer (PC) software piracy dropped in 2008 in about half (57) of the 110 countries studied, remained the same in about a third (36) and rose in just 16, according to the BSA-IDC Piracy Study conducted in 2008. However, the worldwide PC software piracy rate rose for the second year in a row, from 38 per cent to 41 per cent, largely because PC shipments grew fastest in countries such as China and India.

The  Government of India  has taken following steps to control software piracy. In India, the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of software is covered under Copyright Law, violation of which attracts both fine and imprisonment on a mandatory basis.
According to the Government, a police officer of the rank of sub-inspector is empowered to seize infringing copies, duplicating and other equipments used for making infringing copies, without a warrant. The ‘Copyright Act’ also prohibits the sale or to give on hire, or offer for sale or hire, any copy of the computer programme without specific authorisation of the Copyright holder.

The Government has also set up a Copyright Enforcement Advisory Council (under MHRD) — the nodal administrative ministry which reviews the progress of enforcement of the Copyright Act and also advises on measures, both on the policy front as well as on the implementation front for its better enforcement. Special cells for monitoring the enforcement of copyright have been set at police headquarters in the states/UTs. Computer software is exempted from customs duty.

The Centre has also instructed various government departments to only use legal copies of software. Ministry of human resource development and department of information technology, Government of India, as well as NASSCOM, will sponsor ‘Software Management Seminars’ to enhance awareness.

“The market competition has also been instrumental in reducing the costs, thus making the products affordable and hence bringing down the piracy. The introduction of software services is another step towards countering piracy,” notes Sachin Pilot, minister of state, ministry of communications and information technology, Government of India.

Well Guys ..The steps have been taken, but it is still duty on our part as well to stop piracy at the individual level at least.

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