PU to hold handwriting competition

Lovleen Bains

Doraha, December 12

To encourage students to prefer longhand over typing, the Youth Welfare Department of Panjab University is organising a handwriting competition for all affiliated/ constituent colleges, regional centres and departments of Panjab University.

Youth Welfare Department Director Nirmal Jaura said in the first phase of the competition, entries of the students have been invited in English, Hindi and Punjabi. “The affiliated/ constituent colleges, regional centres and university departments can send as many entries as possible latest by December 26, out of which the students selected will be called for the final competition,” he added.

“This competition is being organised in view of the trend of typing among the students, which has proved to be destructive as far as the correct usage of a language is concerned. Most of the students have got so used to net slangs that they have begun to doubt even the correct language. As the spellings and even sentences are being rectified automatically on their computers, when would they make an effort to earn or master the language?” expressed the Director.

“Students do not wish to hold a pen or spare an effort to write anything. They just have peripheral knowledge of words and spellings and are least bothered, as the technology has simplified everything for them. This is indeed a good step by the department,” expressed Tarsem Bahia, Chairman of the Punjab Educationists Forum.

“More such efforts should be made in this regard. We are digging our own graves by making our children learn and use a language which is no language at all,” opined Dr Inderjit Kaur, Principal, Ramgarhia Girls College, Ludhiana.

Narinder Singh Sidhu, Principal, GNN College, Doraha, said: “The mobile language has destroyed the correctness and purity of the language. Using Internet slangs has almost become a compulsion, especially for the youth. These slangs speak of carelessness on the part of the user and indicate his unconcern for his language. Correct writing should be advocated at all costs or we will have to repent for our own doings later. Such competitions are sure to renew the interest of children, as they may steadily begin to exercise writing by hand.”

“Use of slangs derails students from the track. Hence, we have to be over cautious, as languages and its concept is at stake. The practice of writing with hands has to be restored. The department needs to be commended for taking such a unique initiative,” expressed Dr Navdeep Kaur Pannu, Head, Department of English, Khalsa College for Women Sidhwan.