SWABI, Sept 26: An industry expert said on Monday that software contests and other competitions would help young engineers work on new ideas. Nadeem Safdar was speaking at the prize distribution ceremony of a software designing contest.

Student representatives from five leading institutes clinched top prizes at the All Pakistan Software Competition held at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology here on Monday.

The software competition was won by the Lahore College for Women’s University, the animation competition by GIKI, website and interactive CD competition by the Karachi Institute of Information Technology, quiz competition FAST (Lahore) and the speed programming competition by the National University of Science and Technology team.

The winning teams were awarded Rs200,000 in cash prizes. The winner in each category got a prize.

The competition attracted over 220 students from 22 leading universities and institutes of the country.

Mr Safdar said the initiatives taken by youngsters were encouraging and such exhibitions could provide a platform to interact with each other.

“Software development is rapidly changing and various new ideas have already been introduced in this field. Its importance indicates that it will take the lead from all other sectors of the industry,” said Mr Safdar.

Although Pakistan has produced competent engineers and its youngsters are very talented, Mr Safdar said they needed guidance and be put on the right track during the crucial period of their life.