Education company Kaplan seizes thousands of counterfeit materials in India

Kaplan is a leading global financial education provider through its successful Kaplan Schweser books

The Delhi High Court issued an interim order prohibiting the unauthorised sale and misuse of Kaplan’s trademark and copyrighted materials Shutterstock

US-headquartered educational services company Kaplan has filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court against parties involved in the distribution of counterfeit versions of its popular “Kaplan Schweser” books and study materials.

On 13 September, the Delhi court issued an interim order prohibiting the unauthorised sale and misuse of Kaplan’s trademark and copyrighted materials.

The court also appointed local commissioners, who carried out raids at seven premises associated with the defendants. These actions led to the seizure of a substantial amount of counterfeit ‘Kaplan Schweser’ books and study materials used by finance students.

Yael Augang, general counsel at Kaplan, said that thousands of Kaplan materials were seized in this operation, including not only physical books but also digital files and other electronic materials.  

The legal action in the Delhi court represented a “significant step” in Kaplan’s efforts to protect its intellectual property rights in the Indian market, Augang said. She added that it was important to understand that it was part of wider efforts by the company to combat counterfeiting and protect its copyrights and trademarks. 

“Protecting our IP is an ongoing priority for Kaplan globally,” Augang said. 

Ashley Pomonis, executive director, legal, intellectual property and corporate governance at Kaplan, stressed that the company “remains committed to ensuring that students and professionals have access to only authentic, high-quality educational resources”.

The case is still pending before the court and Pomonis noted that Kaplan is “actively pursuing” a summary judgment against several defendants to resolve the issue swiftly and protect the integrity of the educational offerings.

“This decisive action sends a clear message that Kaplan is fully prepared to vigorously defend its intellectual property and will not hesitate to take legal action against those who infringe on its trademarks or unlawfully use or reproduce its copyrighted materials,” she added.

Kaplan is a global educational services company with a focus on accountancy, finance, data and technology. It operates across 27 countries and serves about 1.2 million students and professionals, 15,000 corporate clients and 3,300 schools, school districts, colleges and universities worldwide.

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