Around 1,400 students from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and the Chandigarh Tricity participated in the 14th Punjab SIP Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition on Sunday, putting their mental calculation skills, speed, accuracy and concentration to the test.
A highlight of the competition was the advanced-level challenge, where participants were required to solve 260 arithmetic sums in just 11 minutes. The exercise tested not only their speed and accuracy but also their concentration and ability to perform under pressure.
The competition brought together students from across the region and provided them an opportunity to assess their abilities in a large competitive environment. The event also saw 140 students graduate after successfully completing their respective levels of the SIP Abacus programme.
The competition was conducted in two rounds. The event was attended by Sham Lal Bansal, mayor, municipal corporation, Panchkula; Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, IAS, secretary, tourism and culture, Chandigarh administration, and managing director, CITCO; and Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar, IAS, special secretary, power, government of Punjab, who interacted with the participants and encouraged them.
Jagdeep Singh, state head, SIP Abacus Punjab, said the competition was among the largest Abacus and Mental Arithmetic contests of its kind in North India. “Beyond testing mental arithmetic skills, such competitions give children an opportunity to experience a competitive environment at an early age. Competing alongside a large number of their peers helps them understand how they respond to pressure while building confidence and motivation. The objective is to give children meaningful exposure and experiences that contribute to their overall development,” he said. SIP Abacus is a structured abacus-based mental arithmetic programme that was founded in Malaysia in 1999 and introduced in India in 2003. Through progressive learning and systematic practice, the programme aims to develop numerical and mental calculation abilities while strengthening speed, accuracy, concentration, visualisation and confidence among children.