Rules 21-22 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Rule 21 says goods are classified for GI registration as set out in the Fourth Schedule, which lists 34 classes. Rule 22 allows anyone to ask the Registrar for a search to see whether a geographical indication on record resembles a given mark or indication, using Form GI-5 part F, and provides a refund of the search fee in one situation.
Goods are classified under the Fourth Schedule (Classes 1 to 34, goods only; no services). The Schedule is a quick guide and is not exhaustive. An application with goods in more than one class but only one application fee must be amended to a single class (rule 21(3)). A search request on Form GI-5 part F covers one class; the fee is entry 5F of the First Schedule, which is Rs. 500 as per the First Schedule as substituted in November 2025.
Rule 21(1): classify by the Fourth Schedule
Rule 21(1) says that for registration of a geographical indication or as an authorised user, goods "shall be classified in the manner specified in the Fourth Schedule". The Act's own provision on classification is section 8, covered in our article on registration in respect of particular goods and area.
The Fourth Schedule is headed "Classification of goods - Name of the classes" and begins with a note that parts of an article or apparatus are, in general, classified with the actual article or apparatus, except where the parts are articles included in other classes. It runs from Class 1 to Class 34. The Schedule has goods classes only and carries no service classes. Choosing the right class is a core step in any geographical indication registration filing.
What the Fourth Schedule contains: a summary
The table groups the 34 classes by the sort of goods they carry. It is a summary for orientation; read the Schedule itself for the full wording of each class.
| Classes | Broad content in the Fourth Schedule | Typical GI interest |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | Chemicals; paints and varnishes; cleaning preparations, soaps and perfumery, essential oils; industrial oils, fuels and candles; pharmaceutical and sanitary preparations | Essential oils and natural products |
| 6 to 13 | Common metals and metal goods; machines; hand tools and cutlery; scientific and electric apparatus; medical apparatus; heating and cooking apparatus; vehicles; firearms | Metal craft in Class 6 and hand tools in Class 8 |
| 14 to 21 | Jewellery and precious metals; musical instruments; paper and stationery; rubber and plastics; leather goods; building materials; furniture and goods of wood, cane, horn and shell; household utensils, glassware, porcelain and earthenware | Jewellery, wood and cane craft, pottery in Class 21 |
| 22 to 28 | Ropes, nets and raw fibrous textile materials; yarns and threads; textiles and textile goods, bed and table covers; clothing, footwear, headgear; lace and embroidery; carpets and rugs; games and playthings | Handloom textiles in Class 24, carpets in Class 27 |
| 29 to 34 | Meat, fish, preserved fruits and vegetables, milk products, edible oils; coffee, tea, rice, flour, confectionery, honey, spices; agricultural and horticultural products, fresh fruits and vegetables, live animals, seeds and plants; beers and non-alcoholic drinks; alcoholic beverages; tobacco and smokers' articles | Foodstuffs, spices and tea in Class 30, fresh produce in Class 31, spirits in Class 33 |
The listing follows the Schedule's own wording and groupings. Our wider notes on GI registration of agricultural products and of handicrafts and handloom products show how different producer groups use these classes.
Rule 21(2): the Schedule is a guide, not an exhaustive list
Rule 21(2) says the goods mentioned in the Fourth Schedule "only provide a means by which the general content of numbered international classes can be quickly identified". They correspond to the major content of each class and are not intended to be exhaustive "in accordance with the International Classification of Goods". To decide the classification of particular goods and for full disclosure of the content of an international class, reference may be made to:
- the alphabetical index of goods, if any, published by the Registrar under section 8(3) of the Act; or
- the current edition of the International Classification of Goods for the purpose of registration of trade marks published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, or any subsequent edition.
For the sister regime on trade marks, see our articles on classification of goods and services under the Trade Marks Rules, 2017 and on the Nice classification; note that the Fourth Schedule here has 34 classes of goods only.
Rule 21(3): one fee, one class
Rule 21(3) says that where goods of more than one class are set out in an application for which "only one application fee has been paid", the Registrar "shall require the applicant to amend the application in order to restrict the goods to a single class". The consequence is simple: if a society wants to cover both processed spices and raw spices, and the two fall in different classes, either it pays for each class or it restricts the application. The options for a multi-class application and a divisional application are explained in our article on the divisional application.
Rule 22(1): request for a search on Form GI-5 part F
Rule 22(1) says that any person may request the Registrar on Form GI-5 to cause a search to be made in respect of specified goods classified in any one class in the Fourth Schedule, "in order to ascertain whether any geographical indication is on record which resembles a trade mark or geographical indication of which two representations accompany the form". The Registrar causes the search to be made and informs the applicant of the result.
Part F of Form GI-5 is titled "Request for search under rule 22". It asks the Registrar to search in a stated class in respect of stated goods to ascertain whether any geographical indications are on record which resemble the trade mark or geographical indication sent. The rule speaks of two representations, while the form text says the representation is sent "herewith in triplicate"; this difference in the printed texts is worth noting, and the safer course is to supply the number the form asks for and confirm with the Registry. The form notes that the Registrar's direction may be obtained if the class is not known.
The fee is entry 5F of the First Schedule: "For a search under rule 22 in respect of one class", Rs. 500, Form GI-5, as per the First Schedule as substituted in November 2025. A footnote to the form says no fee is payable where the directions of the Central Government for exemption from payment of fee have been obtained. Note that the Second Schedule list shows search as 5E and division as 5F, while the First Schedule and the form show division as 5E and search as 5F. Follow the First Schedule and the form.
Rule 22(2): refund of the search fee
If, within three months from the date of communication of the result of the search, an application is made for registration of the trade mark or geographical indication in question, and the Registrar takes objection on the ground that it resembles a geographical indication "which was not disclosed in the search, but was on record on the last of the date on which the search was made", the applicant is entitled, after withdrawal of the application, to have repaid the fee paid for the search in Form GI-5. This is the Rules' own illustration of a repayment ordered by the Registrar, mentioned in rule 10(6). Rule 22 sits under section 77 and following, on indexes and public inspection, discussed in our article on sections 77 to 79 of the GI Act.
A worked example
Malabar Pepper Growers' Federation, an invented body, plans to apply for registration of its pepper name. Before filing, it files Form GI-5 part F asking the Registrar to search in Class 30 for any geographical indication resembling its name, paying the entry 5F fee. The Registrar reports no resembling indication. Within three months the federation applies. If the Registrar then objects to a resembling indication that was on record on the last date of the search but was not disclosed, rule 22(2) lets the federation withdraw the application and get the search fee repaid. All names are invented.
Need help choosing the class and running a search?
Picking the wrong class can mean an extra fee or a restricted application. We help groups pick classes and prepare the filing; see our GI registration service, and think about a search before you apply.
Key takeaways
- Goods are classified under the Fourth Schedule, Classes 1 to 34 (rule 21(1)).
- The Schedule is a guide, and the alphabetical index or the international classification may be consulted (rule 21(2)).
- A multi-class application with a single fee must be restricted to one class (rule 21(3)).
- A search request is made on Form GI-5 part F, for one class, under entry 5F (Rs. 500 as per the First Schedule as substituted in November 2025).
- The search fee is repaid in the case described in rule 22(2).
- Check for amendments after 3 November 2025.
Read next
- Rule 23: form and signing of the application in Form GI-1
- Rules 19-20: non-availability of address for service and agency
- Rule 82: single application for different classes and divisional application
- Section 8 of the GI Act: registration in respect of particular goods and area
Disclaimer: Based on the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Rules, 2002 as notified on 8 March 2002 and as amended by the Amendment Rules of 2020 (G.S.R. 528(E)) and 2025 (G.S.R. 812(E)), as consulted on 2 October 2026. Later amendment rules, forms and fees should be checked in their current form. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.