MB#58: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙈𝙮 𝙁𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧’𝙨 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩.

[MemoirBlogthon #58] Every childhood summer, while friends played, my father mandated tedious handwriting practice in a copy writing book, arguing that neatness—not personality—determined marks in unseen college exams. This painful discipline proved crucial in my academic and professional life, particularly as an examiner for the ICSI, where handwriting often gauged an examinee's depth of knowledge. Backed now by neuroscience, this legacy lives on: I still prefer handwritten diaries and ensure my grandson practices, proving that the simple act of putting pen to paper is truly a full-body brain workout.

MB#68: My father's handwriting inspired me to practice meticulously and create my own style.

The Mandatory Summer Assignment

Every summer holiday during my childhood carried a special significance. Beyond outdoor games, my father insisted that all children in the house practice handwriting in a copywriting book. When he returned from the office, he would check our work, assigning the next day's mandatory quota—sometimes just one page if the writing had improved, but often three pages if more effort was needed.

I used to feel a genuine pain about following these handwriting exercises while my friends were enjoying their break. This practice didn't stop with school; even after joining college, we were expected to practice handwriting during every holiday.

The College Evaluator’s Gaze

My father, who possessed excellent handwriting himself and preferred to write office papers with his own hands rather than relying on subordinates, explained the rationale clearly:

"In school, the teacher knows you personally. But the scene is different in college and university examinations. The external evaluator depends heavily on the handwriting because they don't know the student personally. Even in professional examinations, the same thing happens."

He was educating us on the critical importance of presentation in an anonymous evaluation system. I must admit that in my graduation and post-graduation exams, I believe my handwriting was a decisive factor in helping me successfully clear the examinations. All credit goes to the discipline my father enforced.

The Professional Validation

Years later, I gained professional confirmation of his wisdom. As an examination paper evaluator for the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), I would receive over 100 papers from different centers. I was entirely dependent on the neatness of the writing. By virtue of the same, I frequently gauged the depth of the examinee's subject knowledge and then assigned the marks.

When I shared this reality with my student Company Secretaries during coaching at the Hyderabad Chapter of ICSI, they, too, started practicing their handwriting, realizing it was a vital factor in gaining more marks in both internal and main examinations.

Neuroscience Confirms My Father’s Wisdom

I recently came across an online article, "✍️ Handwriting is not outdated—it’s neuroscience in action," which profoundly confirmed my father's logic:

Brain Workout: Writing by hand is a full-body brain workout, activating thinking, sensing, moving, and remembering all at once. It engages fine motor control and deepens neural connections, making learning more lasting.

Deeper Absorption: Typing is faster, but handwriting slows down the process, allowing the brain to truly absorb, not just record (as detailed in an article from the National Center for Biotechnology Information).

At 70, I completely agree. I still choose to keep my diaries in my own handwriting, finding the feel of the pen helps me reflect more deeply. I’ve made it a daily habit for my grandson to practice writing, hoping he’ll experience the same mental and cognitive benefits that I enjoy every day.

MB#58 Quiz

MB58 Question: What specific rationale did the author's father give for the necessity of good handwriting in college and professional examinations?

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• A. It takes less time to write quickly.
• B. The external evaluator depends on handwriting.
• C. It saves money on using ink pens.
• D. It prepares students for a career in calligraphy.

MB#58 Quote

Good handwriting is not just a matter of beauty; it's a mark of patience and intellectual clarity." – Mahatma Gandhi