In the Corridors of Power, Paper Still Reigns

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In the Corridors of Power, Paper Still Reigns

As you walk down the corridors of secretariat you’ll see civil servants carrying "files" and notebooks. Sticky notes peek out, and A4 sheets are scribbled with handwritten thoughts - ideas and points prepared for an upcoming meeting.

The issues being discussed might be complex, but the tools remain simple - old-school notebooks and pens. But not many tablets.

To many, this might come as a surprise, as it did to me initially. In an age of apps and digital planners, why does the country’s top decision-making still rely on pen and paper? Why not completely move to tabs and screens? Yes, the push for digitalization is there. But to me now even old school makes perfect sense, both emotionally and logically.

As a child, I didn’t have access to laptops or tablets, only to boring physical books. From textbooks to fiction, I read it all in hard copy. My love for reading and writing began with those “boring” physical books. As I grew older, it grew, and I started exploring more and more - from the book stalls of Connaught Place to the quiet corners of Khan Market. Before I realised, I was in love with the smell of books, the feel of paper. I would underline my favourite lines and fold pages I wanted to revisit.

That love for paper stayed with me during UPSC preparation. Writing things down helped me understand and remember better. Scribbling ideas on sheets of paper made my thinking clearer. My expression improved with every handwritten page.

My brain nudged me to move to digital, but my heart said otherwise. Maybe my heart made my brain rationalise, but the inclination is clear - physical books, notebooks, and a simple fountain pen over a fancy tablet!

So today, when I see a senior bureaucrat walk by with a diary, a pen, and a bunch of colourful sticky notes, I don't judge him; I feel a sense of comfort. It reminds me of myself, and it reminds me of the clarity that writing on paper brings - and the comfort of the smell of paper books.

It’s not just a habit. It’s a way of thinking. A way of returning to the basics. And a way to slow down in a world that’s always rushing ahead.

Pic: No Wi-Fi, no noise. Just words and wonder :)