Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Plagiarism

Being a young writer, Kaavya Viswanathan, accused of plagiarising parts of her novel, with her conditional apology, may escape the legal wrangle. But the controversy itself is unwanted for the young writer. The incident is an eye-opener for parents and schools who should insist from an early stage that their children/students acknowledge material taken from other sources. Unintentional copying needs to be checked or the examination system needs to undergo a major reform .

N. Nagarajan,
Secunderabad

* * *

Kaavya has admitted that she has borrowed language from Megan McCafferty and explained that it was an "unintentional and unconscious" act. It seems to have become a trend to discredit works of successful writers. Kaavya has become an idol of emerging writers and deserves support.

C. Om Prakash,
Thanjavur, T.N.

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