Taking Studies Seriously

Khushwant Singh

 Answer the following questions in about 75 words each.

Ans- Khushawant Singh has won worldwide fame as an Indian Novelist. He was Journalist and Lawyer
and Politician by profession. He was born on 2 nd February, 1915 in Hadli, Punjab. He is the writer of
the wonderful novel ‘Train To Pakistan’. We have nothing but mouthful praise for his great
achievement.

Khushawant Singh is sharing his experience of life in the extract entitled “Taking Studies
Seriously”. He tells that he should be the last person who is telling to school and college students to
take their study seriously. Because students who take their studies seriously and do well in exams.
They get good jobs like administrative, foreign, revenue, and education etc. There are another set of
students who are not good in studies but by working hard, they succeed in profession like law and
medicine.

The author also says that the persons or students who get everything in inherit or born in rich
industrial or business houses and if one closely observes their life, one will find that they are might
fulfilled and happy. Because they know that they have not earned this wealth by hard work and
diligence but by good fortune. Therefore the author says that these people are satisfy.

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2. Discuss why Khushwant Singh did not want to continue in the legal
profession.
Ans- In the history of Indian literature, Khushwant Singh stands supreme as the writer of Partition
novels. He was born in Hadli, Punjab, on 2nd Feb, 1915. He is famous for his novel ‘Train to Pakistan’.

Khushwant Singh puts lights on the aspect of his educational carrier in the extract entitled
‘Taking Studies Seriously’. He shares his journey from a school students to a writer. By telling the
truth of life Sigh said that he could not continue with his legal profession.

Because he accepted that he ignored his studies at school and colleges and hence he failed to
make the grade in the Civil Service examination which he took in London. Then he went into the legal
profession and realized Law requires an enormous reading of law books. A lawyer’s life was harder
than a student’s preparing for an examination and every appearance in court was like taking a test. He
 found law books made very dull reading and making a living out of other people’s quarrels very
unfulfilling. Hence he could not put his heart in the legal profession and could not get very far in it.

And in the passage of time, he turned to writing and left his profession of lawyer.

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3. Give instances from the passage to show how Khushwant Singh uses self-
deprecating humour to connect with his audience.
Ans- Khushawant Singh was born on 2 nd Feb, 1915 in Hadli, Punjab. He is a great writer or novelist and
Lawyer by profession. He is famous for his work Train to Pakistan. we have nothing but mouthful
praise for this great writer.

In the extract entitled ‘Taking Studies Seriously’, he deals with the humorous incident of his
educational carrier. At the begging of the story, Khushwant Singh connects the audience by urging to
the school and college students to take their studies seriously. He is advising them that he could not
perform well in school and colleges and while doing law in London. And says that most of the students
completes their Law and Bar in three years but he took five years to complete it.

After returning to home, his father was not happy with his studies. And when his friends asks him
that what did his son pass in England? He replied that he was not sure what he passed but passed a
lot of time means ‘Time bahut pass kar ke aya hai.’

Thus Khushwant Singh uses humorous instances to connect his audience.

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4. What can we, as readers, infer from Khushwant Singh’s work ethic, and
what does his dedication to writing demonstrate?
Ans- Khushwant Singh strands supreme as the great novelist of India. He was born on 2 nd Feb, 1915 in
Hadli Punjab. He has written very famous novel ‘Train to Pakistan’. In short, we have nothing but
mouthful praise for this great writer.

Khushwant Singh shares his experience and incident of his educational life in the extract ‘Taking
Studies Seriously.’ He was not good students in his school days and college days and not good student
of law. He took five years to complete his law study which is ,indeed, three year degree course. However
he became a Lawyer.

But in the passage of time, he realized that the Law needs an enormous study of law books. And
the lawyer’s life is harder than a student’s preparing for examination and he found law books made very
dull reading and making a living out of other people’s quarrels very unfulfilling. Then soon realized that
he was in wrong profession for wrong reason and could not put his heart in legal profession.
 He accepted that he had not many cases to handle hence began to spend time to read books of
English Literature. He thought that he should have read this book in his college days, realized that he
wanted to become a writer even if he made very little money out of it.

And dedicated himself to the writing and reading. He became editor and columnist. He worked
very hard and earned lot of money. At the age of 77, he used to get up at.4.30 A.M. and ends at 7.30
P.M. - his schedule was completely filled with reading and writing. He would not wait for the inspiration
because he knew that he would meet with the deadline soon. He would not get bored or tired of
overwork because this is what he wants to do, and he felt infinite fulfilment. Thus we can infer from
Khushwant Singh’s life and work ethic.

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