Kozhikode: Rhythmic clack of typewriters back as IT loses sheen

KOZHIKODE: Typewriters which were nearly eliminated by computers are staging a comeback regaining their old pace and rhythm.

The revised PSC syllabus has made Kerala Government Technical Examination (KGTE) typewriting certificate mandatory for typists. The Government Technical Institute in Thiruvana-nthapuram has received over 485 applications for 120 seats of the two-year typewriting course this year.

The keying person has to keep the pace typing flawlessly in courts and higher-level offices, where orders, judgments, statements and agreements are dictated.   “Learning typewriting will increase efficiency with flawless and fast typing,” said K.T. Soumyendran, manager of Shikhi Typewriting Institute, SM Street here. “Though I have 27 machines now, I am struggling to accommodate the candidates,” he said and added that he was planning a second branch.

On the new-found love for typewriting, Mr Soumyendran said  the fall from grace of the IT sector and the growing charm of government jobs were major reasons for the shift in trend.  “If you join the state service as a peon and if you pass the typewriting examination you can easily become a typist,” he said. “Moreover, the security and intelligence agencies the world over are shifting from computers to typewriters to protect the confidentiality of communications,” he pointed out.    

Due to the confidentiality typewriters offer, the German government had recently shifted all data entry in government sector aided by typewriters. The Maharashtra government, which ordered the digitisation of 3,500-odd typewriting institutes in 2015, has now ordered to teach typewriting along with computer-aided typing.

Though the demand for typewriters is high, new machines are not coming to the market. Indian manufacturers like Godrej and Boyce had stopped production as early as in 2011.

“Earlier, there were 6,500 institutes in the state and the number has come down to around 1,200,” said K. Mahadev Iyer, chairman of All-Kerala  Typewriting and Computer Institute Owners’ Welfare Association. “I have 56 machines in my institute, but new machines are not available in the market,” he said and added that the only way out was repairing the old ones. Those who repair typewriters also are in high demand.