While many of the type-writing institutes -- the mainstay of which are school students, since most schools don't have the facilities -- are ready to take loans and invest in machines in an attempt to move with the times, and keep their businesses intact, very few realise that apart from `a-s-d-f-g', there's little in common between a typewriter and a computer. Less are ready to accept the possibility that they may not be recognised by the Board in their new avatar as computer training centres.

GSEB officials, however, have no doubt that the first to be recognised will be the schools that already have computer facilities. ``They'll have to have trained instructors and enough equipment to train students to gain recognition'', a Board official says.

Scores of operators of type-writing schools, however, are hoping against hope that the switchover to a different machine will not be as difficult as it now seems.

``There was a time when we had 250 students in each batch. But the numbers have come down drastically in the past couple of years'', says Chandrakant Shah of Raopura's Master Typing Institute, one of the oldest establishments in the city, indicating the troubled times they are going through.

``Converting our schools into computer institutes is the only way out'', says Nandkishor Shukl of Adarsh Typewriting School, Karelibaug. ``It'll be difficult employing instructors and setting up the necessary infrastructure, but this is our existence we're fighting for.''

Manohar Dabhke of the Gujarat Typing School echoes similar sentiments. ``Since my clients are primarily SSC students, I'd have to consider switching to computers.''

Shah says he doesn't dream of replacing his 40 typewriters with more than two computers. ``At least it'll continue to be a mode of earning'', he points out.

Though type-writing institutes have recently launched an agitation against schools that encourage other optionals at the cost of type-writing, Shah emphasises, ``We are not against computers. but there must be some way for us, too, to continue.''

Their subject was not redundant, insists Shukl. ``There's a shortage of Gujarati stenographers, especially in the courts.''

That argument doesn't seem to be carrying too much water with the GSEB. Though Board chairman G Vyas says they haven't taken a final decision on introducing computers in school, a committee has been appointed to look into the possibilities. ``I can't specify any time-limit, but the Board is seriously thinking of introducing the subject'', he adds.

Justification enough for the worries of Shah, Shukl and Dabhke.