The Indian Patent Office (IPO) has issued the much-anticipated Revised Guidelines for Examination of Computer Related Inventions (CRI) 2025. Judicial foundationsDrawing heavily on recent court rulings to clarify long-debated concepts, the Guidelines re-define key terms such as ‘algorithm’ and ‘per se’. These include:Ferid Allani v Union of India & Ors (2019:DHC:6944);Microsoft Technology Licensing v Assistant Controller of Patents and Designs (2023:DHC:3342);Open TV v Controller of Patents and Designs (2023:DHC:3305)Raytheon v Controller General of Patents and Designs (2023:DHC:6673);Ab Initio Technology v Assistant Controller of Patents and Designs (2024:DHC:5708); andBlackberry v Assistant Controller of Patents and Designs (2024:DHC:6571). Structured approaches to exclusionsFurther, the Guidelines introduce structured multi-step tests for subject matter that is frequently excluded under Section 3(k). The examples provided in the Guidelines will help applicants craft stronger arguments against different objections raised in office actions.