New Delhi: Leadership lessons to meditation, exams Vs knowledge to focusing like a batsman in action–Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched upon a host of issues in a free-wheeling chat with school students during the eighth edition of his annual ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ broadcast on Monday.
In a shift from the traditional town hall format, Modi preferred a more informal setting this time and held a deeper and lively conversation with around 35 students at the Sunder Nursery here.
The nationwide broadcast of the event saw students, teachers, and parents tuning in from different parts of the country.
Modi told students ‘gyan’ (knowledge) and examinations are two different things. One should not view exams as be-all and end-all in life, he added.
During the interaction with students drawn from states and UTs from across the country, the prime minister said students should not be confined and allowed to explore their passions.
He asked students to use their time in a planned way for its effective management.
The prime minister spoke on issues such as ‘master your time, master your life, live in the moment, finding positives, nourish to flourish’, with students quizzing him on different matters.
Urging parents to not use their children as models to show off, he said they should not compare them with others and instead support them.
“Unfortunately there is a common belief that if someone doesn’t score well in class 10 and 12 boards, their life is ruined. Our society creates a tense atmosphere at home over low grades. You may also be under pressure but prepare without worrying about it and keep challenging yourself,” he said.
The prime minister highlighted the importance of good sleep and stressed that students should not consider that their lives will be spoiled if they do not score high marks.
He said students should handle pressure as batters do in a stadium amid the noise being made by spectators. They focus on the next ball ignoring the demand for boundaries, he said, asking students to focus on their studies and not be pressured by exams.
Modi, however, asked them to challenge themselves and always try to do better than their previous results.
He emphasised on the need for nutrition and meditation.
Speaking on the issue of leadership, he said people take cue from the conduct of leaders and speeches alone do not help.
“Leadership is not imposed, people around you accept you. For this, you have to change yourself. To become a leader, it is very important to learn teamwork…patience and earning trust is very necessary,” he said.
Asking the students what the definition of a leader is, PM Modi said, “It’s someone wearing ‘kurta-pyjama’, a jacket, giving speeches on various platforms… that’s not just the case. If anyone becomes a leader their job is not to correct others’ mistakes. It’s to make yourself an example”.
Citing the example of a class monitor, the PM said, “If everyone has to come on time but the class monitor himself does not adhere to the rules, will anyone listen to him? No. But for example, if a teacher has given you homework…the class monitor finishes it first and even helps others, then he is a good leader”.
Well-known personalities like actor Deepika Padukone, boxer MC Mary Kom and spiritual leader Sadhguru have also shared their experiences and knowledge with students on key aspects of life and learning in different episodes of Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) this year.
PPC is an annual event in which Modi interacts with students appearing for board examinations. During the event, he also answers students’ queries related to exam stress and other issues.
The first edition of the prime minister’s interactive programme with school and college students was held at the Talkatora Stadium in February 2018.
Its seventh edition was held in a town hall format at the Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan, engaging participants from across the country and overseas.
