NEW DELHI: Addressing thousands of school children at the fifth edition of the ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC),’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday advised them to stay away from an environment of panic and celebrate exams as festivals.
He also asked parents and teachers not to burden the children with their expectations.
"April is a month full of festivals, but between celebrating these festivals, we have to focus on exams. So why shouldn't we celebrate exams as festivals? If the exams are made a festival, then many colours are filled in it," the Prime Minister said as he addressed students’ queries on exam stress and how to face them calmly.
“I want students to stay away from an environment of panic during exams. No need to copy friends; just keep doing whatever you do with full confidence, and I believe all of you will be able to give your exam in a festive mood,” he said and advised them to connect with their inner selves while preparing for examinations.
He also advised students to inculcate the habit of revision before exams. "Students should develop a habit of revising whatever they have learned in class with their friends. This will help them absorb knowledge together,” he said.
Addressing parents and teachers, he said they should not try to pass their dreams, which they could not fulfill, onto their children. “All this is a matter of great concern in the development of our children,” he said.
He further said that unless we try to know the strengths, limits, interests, and expectations of the child closely, then somewhere, the child will stumble. “That's why I would like to say to every parent and teacher that as per the expectation of your mind, the burden on your child increases, try to avoid it,” he said.
To a question from a Class 12 student that after taking the board exams, they will have to prepare for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) to get admission to central universities, Modi said, “We should consider competition as the biggest gift of life. Competition is an important medium to advance life, through which we can also evaluate ourselves. Competitions make life progressive. We should invite competition and try competing in every field.”
"Exams are a stepping stone in our life. There is no one sitting here who will appear for exams for the first time. We have become exam proof by repeatedly sitting for exams after equal time intervals," he said.
PPC is organised by the Education Ministry's Department of School Education and Literacy. More than 12.12 lakh students, 2.71 lakh teachers, and 90,000 parents had registered for PPC 2022.