NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday advised students not to waste time on the internet merely because data is cheap in the country and urged them to focus on honing their life and educational skills.
Education should not be a burden, and students should be fully involved in the learning process, as half-hearted education does not lead to success in life, he said while interacting with students during the ninth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026.
“Our goals should be within reach, but not easily attainable. Tame the mind first, then connect it, and then focus on the subjects you need to study. If you do this, you will always find the student successful,” he told students from various parts of the country who had gathered at his residence.
Modi also cautioned students against wasting time on gaming purely for entertainment.
“You may be interested in gaming, but do not indulge in it just to pass time because data is cheap in India. Do not do it for fun. Those who indulge in gaming for money will only be ruined. We should not encourage gambling in the country. I have made a law against online gambling,” he said.
However, the Prime Minister noted that gaming can be a skill, as it requires speed and alertness, and can be used for self-development.
He stressed that everyone has their own pattern or style of functioning.
“I have become Prime Minister, yet people still tell me to work in different ways. But everyone has their own pattern. Some people study better in the morning, some at night. Whatever suits you, believe in that. Also take advice, and if it benefits you, then incorporate it into your life,” he said.
Modi said he himself had made changes to Pariksha Pe Charcha over the years but had not abandoned its original principles.
“When I started Pariksha Pe Charcha, there was a certain pattern. Gradually, I have been changing it. This time, it was held in different states as well. I changed my approach, but did not abandon the original pattern,” he said.
The Prime Minister added that a teacher’s effort should be to ensure that their pace is always one step ahead of the student’s. He urged students to balance studies, rest, skills and hobbies, calling it the key to growth.
“There are two kinds of skills: life skills and professional skills. Both go hand in hand. Skill begins with knowledge,” he said.
Modi recalled that a leader once called him on his birthday and remarked, “You have completed 75 years; 25 still remain.”
“But I do not count the past. I count what remains. So I say to you: do not dwell on the past. Focus on what lies ahead,” he said.
Reiterating that education should not be a burden, Modi said students must be fully engaged, as half-hearted education does not lead to a successful life.
“That is why we should not focus only on marks, but on improving life. This goes beyond classrooms and examinations,” he said.
The Prime Minister described the interaction as a wonderful discussion on approaching examinations with confidence and positivity. At the outset, he welcomed students at his residence with an Assamese gamosa.
The ninth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha was also screened at the Bal Yogi Auditorium in the Parliament premises.
Launched in 2018, Pariksha Pe Charcha began as a town-hall-style interaction with students before evolving into one of India’s largest education engagement initiatives. Registrations rose from about 38.8 lakh in 2023 to 2.26 crore in 2024, before reaching 3.53 crore in 2025, a milestone that earned the programme a Guinness World Record.
The ninth edition surpassed the previous record, registering over 4.5 crore participants.