Typewriting institutes record spurt in students interested in retro skill

Even though the typewriters had almost become a thing of the past, thanks to the IT revolution, it was after 2006 that people started showing more interest in learning the skill professionally. 

Stenographer’s Guild, one of the oldest institution in the city at T-Nagar, started in 1937, claims that in five years, students appearing for typewriting exams increased by 50 per cent. 

“Till 2006, we only had a handful of people enrolling in typewriting institutes. But since most of the BPOs and other call centres have made mandatory for their employees to have at least passed junior typing level, more people have started showing interest in this,” said S R Sivasubramaniam, president of Stenographer’s Guild. 

He said from 2008 to 2013, the number of students appearing for typewriting exams increased by over 20 per cent. “It further increased to 50 per cent since 2014, which is year on increase of about ten per cent”, he added. 

Stating that there are thousands of vacancies were existing in the state government, especially in personnel administration department, Sivasubramaniam said that students may get extra marks in Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) group four exams if they complete junior level typing exams, conducted by Directorate of Technical Education (DOTE). 

J Rajathi, principal and instructor of Balaji Technical Institute in Anakaputhur, said few years back only few students learned typewriting in her institute. “But, in 2017-18, the students have increased to more than 70”, she added. 

“I have applied for TNPSC group four exam and knowing how to use a typewriter qualifies me for extra marks,” said V Monica, a student of BSc Maths and from Anakaputhur. She added that after her training, she finds it easier to type her college projects reports using computers. A senior official from DOTE said at present there are about 2,500 institutes functioning across Tamil Nadu and out of which about 300 exists in Chennai. “We have recognised around 70 new typewriting institutes in Chennai this year”, he added.