What type of notifications have been given to the users by the pop-up so far?

The notices will be regarding the key actions like hearing notices (Show Cause), adjournment notices, examination reports, tribunal decisions, and whether the trademark has been accepted or withdrawn. These updates will be listed under the "Unread Items" and "Read Items" in the Correspondence tab of the portal. This ensures that all crucial updates are looked after promptly by the users.

From what date does the pop-up notification start working?

Notifications will start appearing on the portal after 7:00 PM on the day of their issuance, which coincides with the office's internal processing system for the trademark office. This gives an opportunity to the users to log in after 7 o'clock and check for any updates that may affect their application or require prompt attention.

What is a queue tracking tool?

The queue tool is an online new facility for applicants to see where their respective trademark application is currently sitting in the processing pipeline. The queue provides real-time information about where the application is concerning examination or hearings, or post-examination review. It does not fast-track the application but gives a transparent indication of waiting times.

How often is the queue tracking information updated?

From time to time, the system updates the data, whereby the “Last Updated On” is displayed on the portal. This ensures that users have the latest available information on the status of their applications. Regular updates help keep the applicants' hopes high and assist them in planning their documents and responses.

Will the new system speed up the trademark process?

Not directly. At one point, the updates do not shorten the application processing times themselves. Rather, they add transparency and predictability to the process. With knowledge regarding the timing of expected hearings and reports, applicants and attorneys will be better able to prepare, thus possibly allowing for timelier responses and fewer delays on their part.

What is the advantage of this tool?

Together with the pop-up notification system, the queue tracker provides trademark applicants and their counsel with control and clarity. It decreases uncertainty, enhances communication, and allows better planning. While it does not speed things up, it does make the wait so much less painful and much easier to manage by letting users know every step of the way.

Streamlining Trademark Prosecution in India: New Notification System and Queue Tracking

Dhirendra kumar

Apr 11, 2025

Trademark Class

Processing trademark applications in India has often been slow and unpredictable because of complicated procedures and unexpected delays. A mechanism where timely responses and updates mean a lot, the uncertainty hovering over hearings, examination reports, and adjournments have caused severe anxiety in applicants and almost all legal professionals associated with their representations.

Acknowledging the growing concern, the office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), has brought two wholly important notifications aimed at enhancing transparency and operational efficiency in the trademark prosecution process.

These improvements are:

1. Pop-up notifications on the online e-filing system.

2. An entirely specific queue tracking portal that gives real-time progress information on applications.

Pop-Up Notification System: Closing the Gap in Communication

With effect from April 2025, the CGPDTM has introduced a dynamic notification interface in its Online Filing of Trade Marks, through which dynamic notifications pop up on the portal. This system allows trademark applicants and their representatives to receive real-time pop-up alerts on the portal itself, highlighting critical updates such as:

• Hearing Notices (Show Cause)

• Adjournment Notices

• Examination Reports

• Tribunal Orders

• Withdrawn or Accepted Notices

To find the notification, one has to go to the “Correspondence” tab on the left side of the portal. They will be in either “Unread Items” or “Read Items” and can be filtered according to the last month, last 3 months, or last 6 months. Notably, these alerts will be available from 7 PM on the day of issue, in keeping with normal processing and dispatch protocols.

This, therefore, serves as that bridge from issuance to visibility, especially in cases where emails may have been delayed or missed. The intent is to ensure that every critical communication reaches the stakeholder at the right time and safely, hence lowering the risk of missing a deadline or non-compliance due to the failure of communication.

Queue Tracking System: Transparency in the Processing Status of Application

The CGPDTM has also launched the Queue Tracking Tool for applicants to track their applications at various stages of prosecution. This feature can be accessed either through the official IP India portal or directly at the Queue Status Tool and has thus emerged as a must-have tool for trademark attorneys and applicants.

The tracking system is subdivided into three main queues:

1. Hearing Queue (Show Cause)

Users can now ascertain the probable timeline within which they will have their Show Cause Hearing after upholding their Examination Report. This includes hearing adjournment and application tracking as to where it stands in the hearing list.

2. Examination Queue

This enables applicants to estimate the waiting time for the First Examination Report (FER) to be issued. With examination backup that spans several months, this queue tracker brings some predictability to what would otherwise be an opaque process.

3. Review (MIS-R) Queue

This tracks the process of review after an applicant has responded to the FER. Although the process does not speed up the timeline, it does give a transparent view of how far the application has progressed post-submission.

The portal discloses-

• Application Number

• Previous Day Queue Number

• Current Queue Number

• Whether the application is Expedited

• Party Name

The data is regularly updated (as clear from the “Last Updated On” tag), and the tool even gives estimated hearing waiting time in weeks for stakeholders to plan timely responses and even prepare their documents ahead.

Implications for Trademark Professionals

This is a significant step forward, more especially after several years during which there were backlogs in the system and failure to respond to queries in time.

You will be displayed: An application, for e.g., 63671, currently has a queue number of 14030 and is expected to be heard in 20 weeks. This level of precision was previously unavailable and significantly enhances the transparency of the CGPDTM’s operations.

Further, an attorney may now update a client with facts in real time rather than some vague forecast. Critical alerts will not be lost because of email spam filters, nor will as missed due to technology failures. Pop-up alerts on the portal prompt users to act quickly and stay aligned with deadlines.

Challenges and Further Scope for Improvement

However, these developments are not enough; there are areas yet to be looked into:

Mobile Applicability: As of now, these updates are accessible through desktops only. The potential coverage could be further stretched through a mobile-friendly interface or something app-based for push notifications.

Longer Filing Delays and E-signatures: Notification and tracking have improved somewhat; filing problems and, extensive delays from e-signature errors and portal downtime continue to plague the system.

Bulk Upload & Notifications: Law firms managing more than one application at a time may benefit from this by having a dashboard for bulk tracking and notification customization across portfolios.

Conclusion

The introduction of a real-time notification system and a queue tracking tool reflects the CGPDTM’s commitment to the modernization of the Indian trademark ecosystem. It provides a much-needed enhancement to communication and status tracking, allowing applicants and attorneys to respond proactively and efficiently. While the changes may not shorten timelines directly, they eliminate the uncertainty that once prevailed in these processes.

In a digital-first IP environment, this initiative will most probably create a template for other procedural reforms to ensure promptness and build a trustworthy environment for stakeholders in India’s trademark prosecution system.

To get more insights into the trending subject matters related to trademark registration and trademark search in trademark monitoring, visit https://entermark.ai/.

FAQs

What type of notifications have been given to the users by the pop-up so far?
The notices will be regarding the key actions like hearing notices (Show Cause), adjournment notices, examination reports, tribunal decisions, and whether the trademark has been accepted or withdrawn. These updates will be listed under the “Unread Items” and “Read Items” in the Correspondence tab of the portal. This ensures that all crucial updates are looked after promptly by the users.
From what date does the pop-up notification start working?
Notifications will start appearing on the portal after 7:00 PM on the day of their issuance, which coincides with the office’s internal processing system for the trademark office. This gives an opportunity to the users to log in after 7 o’clock and check for any updates that may affect their application or require prompt attention.
What is a queue tracking tool?
The queue tool is an online new facility for applicants to see where their respective trademark application is currently sitting in the processing pipeline. The queue provides real-time information about where the application is concerning examination or hearings, or post-examination review. It does not fast-track the application but gives a transparent indication of waiting times.
How often is the queue tracking information updated?
From time to time, the system updates the data, whereby the “Last Updated On” is displayed on the portal. This ensures that users have the latest available information on the status of their applications. Regular updates help keep the applicants’ hopes high and assist them in planning their documents and responses.
Will the new system speed up the trademark process?
Not directly. At one point, the updates do not shorten the application processing times themselves. Rather, they add transparency and predictability to the process. With knowledge regarding the timing of expected hearings and reports, applicants and attorneys will be better able to prepare, thus possibly allowing for timelier responses and fewer delays on their part.
What is the advantage of this tool?
Together with the pop-up notification system, the queue tracker provides trademark applicants and their counsel with control and clarity. It decreases uncertainty, enhances communication, and allows better planning. While it does not speed things up, it does make the wait so much less painful and much easier to manage by letting users know every step of the way.