Rule 24C 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 24C lets an applicant who falls within one of ten listed grounds ask for faster examination of a patent application. The request is made in Form 18A, only by electronic transmission, within the period in rule 24B, with the fee in the First Schedule. The rule then sets shorter periods for the examiner's report, the Controller's disposal and the first statement of objections.
A request for expedited examination is made in Form 18A, with the First Schedule fee, only by electronic transmission duly authenticated, within the period in rule 24B, on any one of grounds (a) to (j). The examiner reports ordinarily within one month but not exceeding two months; the first statement of objections follows within fifteen days of disposal of the report; the applicant has six months to put the application in order, extendable by three months on Form 4 (as amended in 2024, sub-rule (11) refers to "specified herein"). The Controller disposes of the application within three months of the last reply or last date, whichever is earlier.
Sub-rule (1): who may ask, how and on what grounds
An applicant may file a request for expedited examination in Form 18A, along with the fee in the First Schedule, only by electronic transmission duly authenticated, within the period prescribed in rule 24B, on any of these grounds:
| Ground | Applicant or application |
|---|---|
| (a) | India has been indicated as the competent International Searching Authority, or elected as an International Preliminary Examining Authority, in the corresponding international application |
| (b) | The applicant is a startup |
| (c) | The applicant is a small entity |
| (d) | The applicant is a natural person (or, for joint applicants, all are natural persons) and the applicant, or at least one of the applicants, is a female |
| (e) | The applicant is a department of the Government |
| (f) | The applicant is an institution established by a Central, Provincial or State Act, owned or controlled by the Government |
| (g) | The applicant is a Government company as defined in clause (45) of section 2 of the Companies Act, 2013 |
| (h) | The applicant is an institution wholly or substantially financed by the Government (the Explanation gives "substantially financed" the meaning in the Explanation to section 14(1) of the Comptroller and Auditor General's (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971) |
| (i) | The application pertains to a sector notified by the Central Government on the basis of a request from the head of a department of the Central Government (public comments are invited before any such notification) |
| (j) | The applicant is eligible under an arrangement for processing a patent application pursuant to an agreement between the Indian Patent Office and a foreign Patent Office (the Explanation says patentability remains in accordance with the Act) |
Startup and small entity are defined in rule 2; see our article on small entity, startup and educational institution. Ground (a) links to the PCT stages in rules 19A to 19E and rules 19F to 19J.
If you think you qualify under one of these grounds, our patent examination request service can check the ground and the documents before Form 18A is filed. See also our guides on expedited examination for startups, MSMEs and female applicants and green technology patents.
Form 18A
The text of Form 18A is printed in the consolidated Rules. It is headed "Request for expedited examination of application for patent" and cites section 11B and rule 24C. Its entries are:
- The applicant's name, nationality and address.
- A statement, in three alternative forms: a request that the applicant's application be examined under sections 12 and 13; or, for an application based on a PCT application, a request for examination immediately without waiting for thirty-one months as specified in rule 20(4)(ii); or a request that an existing request for examination be converted to a request for expedited examination under rule 24C.
- Tick boxes for the ground relied on.
- A list of documents to be submitted as evidence for each ground, for example the ISA or IPEA number issued by the Indian authority for ground (a), the certificate of recognition as a startup from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade for an Indian startup, evidence of registration under the MSME Development Act, 2006 for a small entity, and a photo identity card of the female applicant for ground (d). For other grounds the form asks for any document as evidence of eligibility, or for declarations and documents as the Controller may require.
- The address for service in India, date and signature, to be signed by the applicant or an authorised registered patent agent.
A drafting point: the tick-box list in item 3 does not list ground (e), the department of the Government, though item 4 lists it as "e". Also, the form states "For fee: See First Schedule."
Fee
As per the First Schedule as substituted in 2024, entry 29 (request for expedited examination under rule 24C, Form 18A) is 8000 in the e-filing column for a natural person, startup, small entity or educational institution and 60000 for others; physical filing is not allowed. Entry 30 (conversion of a request filed under rule 24B to a request under rule 24C) is 4000 and 40000, again not allowed in physical filing. Both entries speak of "expedited or delayed examination", although rule 24C has no delayed examination.
Sub-rule (2): conversion
A request for examination filed under rule 24B may be converted to a request for expedited examination under sub-rule (1) by paying the relevant fees and submitting the requisite documents. See our article on rule 24B.
Sub-rule (3): publication
Except where the application has already been published under section 11A(2) or a request for publication under rule 24A has already been filed, a request for expedited examination shall be accompanied by a request for publication under rule 24A. See rules 24, 24A and 25.
Sub-rule (4): defective requests
Where the request does not comply with the requirements of the rule, it shall be processed in accordance with rule 24B, with an intimation to the applicant, and shall be deemed to have been filed on the date on which the request for expedited examination was filed.
Sub-rules (5) to (13): the faster timeline
| Sub-rule | Step | Period |
|---|---|---|
| (5) | Referral to the examiner | In the order of filing of such requests |
| (6) | Examiner's report under section 12(2) | Ordinarily one month but not exceeding two months from reference |
| (7) | Controller disposes of the report | One month from receipt |
| (8) | First statement of objections | Within fifteen days from disposal of the report |
| (9) | Replies | Processed in the order received |
| (10) | Time to put the application in order under section 21 | Six months from issue of the first statement |
| (11) | Further extension | Three months on a request in Form 4 with fee, before expiry of the six months |
| (12) | Controller disposes of the application | Within three months from receipt of the last reply, or three months from the last date to put in order, whichever is earlier (not applicable in pre-grant opposition) |
| (13) | Cap | The Controller may limit the number of requests received during the year by a notice in the official journal |
The proviso to sub-rule (5) protects a startup or small entity: its request shall not be questioned merely because it ceased to be a startup or small entity after filing, due to lapse of the recognition period or because turnover later crossed the notified threshold.
2024 amendment. The Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2024 replaced "specified under sub-rule (10)" in sub-rule (11) with "specified herein". As per the First Schedule as substituted in 2024, entry 4(iv) covers the request for extension under sub-rule (11), per month: 2000 in the e-filing column for a natural person, startup, small entity or educational institution and 10000 for others; physical filing is 2200 and 11000.
Rule 55(5B), inserted in 2024, says an application in which a pre-grant representation has been filed and a notice issued is to be examined in accordance with rule 24C; see our article on pre-grant opposition under rule 55.
A worked example
Nirvana Cold Chain Pvt Ltd, a startup recognised under the Startup India initiative, files an application and wants a quick first statement of objections. Within the rule 24B period it files Form 18A electronically under ground (b), with its recognition certificate and the entry 29 fee. Because the application is not yet published and no publication request is on file, it also files Form 9 under rule 24A. The examiner reports within about one to two months of reference, the Controller disposes of the report within a month, and the first statement of objections follows within fifteen days. Nirvana has six months from its issue to put the application in order, with a possible three-month extension on Form 4.
Related reading
See also our guides on IPR fast-track for startups, the Startup India DPIIT recognition guide and the Act-side article on section 12.
Need help with expedited examination?
Choosing the right ground and gathering the right evidence decides whether the request is accepted as expedited or processed under rule 24B. If you want Form 18A prepared and filed with the supporting documents, you can talk to us about patent examination request support.
Key takeaways
- Form 18A, electronic filing only, within the rule 24B period, on one of ten grounds.
- Startups, small entities, female natural-person applicants and Government bodies are among the listed grounds.
- An existing request under rule 24B can be converted by paying the fee and submitting documents.
- The examiner reports in one to two months; the first statement of objections follows within fifteen days.
- A defective request is processed under rule 24B.
- Entries 29, 30 and 4(iv) of the 2024 First Schedule give the fees.
- Check amendments after the Second Amendment Rules, 2024.
Read next
- Rule 24B: request for examination and first statement of objections
- Rules 24, 24A and 25: publication and early publication
- Expedited patent examination: startup, MSME, female applicant
- Section 12 of the Patents Act, 1970: examination of application
Disclaimer: Based on the Patents Rules, 2003 as consolidated up to 21 September 2021 and as amended by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2024 and the Patents (Second Amendment) Rules, 2024, 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.