In this image released by @narendramodi on X on February 10, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributes sweets to students while interacting with them on different aspects of stress-free exams under Pariksha Pe Charcha programme, in New Delhi.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday remarked that it was unfortunate that society had ingrained the idea in the children that not scoring good marks in board exams meant their life was ruined. This only added to the pressure the children already felt, he pointed out.
He made the comments while interacting with students of Sunder Nursery, New Delhi during the 8th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC). Referring to how a batsman would concentrate solely on the ball during a cricket match, he encouraged children to ignore all such external pressure and concentrate on their studies.
Mr. Modi remarked on the importance of self-reflection, urging the students to frequently ask themselves what they could become and achieve and what actions would bring them satisfaction.
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The Prime Minister spoke to the children about the importance of nutrition, urging them to eat millets and seasonal fruits. He mentioned how the United Nations had declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets and promoted it across the world based on proposal from India. He also advised children to avoid junk food, oily food and food made of maida (refined wheat flour).
Mr. Modi extolled the importance of good sleep towards ensuring fitness and wellness. He also stressed on the benefits of sunlight, asking children to make it a habit of soaking in the morning sunlight for a few minutes every day.
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Mr. Modi added that the right amount of sleep was important to ensure the fitness and wellness of the body. He also stressed on the importance of sunlight for the human body, encouraging the children to cultivate a daily habit of soaking in the morning sunlight for a few minutes.
When asked to share tips on good leadership, the Prime Minister said that a leader was not defined by external appearance but always led by example. “Leadership is not imposed but accepted by those around you,” Mr. Modi said. It was important to understand the challenges faced by team members and helping them through difficulties would build their confidence and trust in leadership, he added.
Mr. Modi urged teachers not the confine children to a rigid academic structure, as that would only stunt their growth. He stressed on the importance of an open environment and activities, adding that lessons like gardening might seem irrelevant but contribute to their overall development.
He highlighted the importance of developing the habit of writing and also talked about the need for identifying children’s unique strengths.
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He pointed to feeling disconnected from family and gradually withdrawing from social interactions as the starting points for depression, and spoke about ways to cope with it.
Addressing the issue of parental pressure over children’s career choices, he remarked that parents’ expectations often stemmed from comparing their children with others and advised them not to “showcase” the children as “models” but to love and accept their strengths. He urged parents to recognise and understand their children’s abilities and interests, monitor their progress, and provide support.
Mr. Modi also addressed teachers, urging them to avoid creating an environment where only top-performing students received attention while others were neglected.
Speaking about overcoming failure, Mr. Modi remarked that even if 30-40% of students failed in their class 10 and 12 exams, life did end with that. He emphasised the importance of deciding whether to succeed in life or only in academics.
He also advised students to practice working out previous exam papers, in order to learn to write concise answers and manage time effeciently.
Published – February 10, 2025 12:51 pm IST