Intellectual PropertyAct No. 14 of 1957In Force

The Copyright Act, 1957

Protects original literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, cinematograph films, and sound recordings in India. Copyright subsists automatically without registration. The 2012 amendment introduced important protections for authors and performers against assignment of rights for new technologies, strengthened digital rights management, and provided exceptions for educational use.

Sections

Schedules

Ministry

Ministry of Commerce and Industry (DPIIT)

Last Amended

2012-09-07

Key Provisions

→Works protected: literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, cinematograph, sound recording

→Automatic copyright: no registration required for protection

→Term of copyright: life of author plus 60 years

→Author's special rights: non-waivable right to share in commercial exploitation

→Fair dealing exceptions: research, criticism, news reporting, education

→Compulsory licence for unpublished works, foreign works, broadcasting

→Copyright Societies: IPRS, PPL, IRRS for collecting royalties

→Civil and criminal remedies for infringement

Related Practice Areas

intellectual-property technology-media-telecom

copyrightintellectual propertyfair dealingauthorshipcreative workssoftware copyrightmusic rights

Section-by-Section Reference

We are building detailed section-by-section breakdowns for Copyright Act with plain English explanations. Subscribe to be notified when it is published.

Need Expert Advice on Copyright Act?

Corpus Juris Legal advises Delhi NCR businesses and institutions on all matters under Copyright Act. Partner-led attention from first advice to resolution.

Free Consultation

Indian government legislation is in the public domain under S.52(1)(q) of the Copyright Act, 1957. This reference is for educational purposes. Laws are amended frequently — verify the current text on the e-Gazette of India before relying on it for legal proceedings.