Namaskar, friends, How are all of you? Hope your exam preparation is going well. This is the first virtual edition of 'Pariksha Pe Charcha'. You know, we have been living in the midst of Corona for the last one year, and because of that everyone has to innovate. I too had to give up the temptation to meet you in person this time, and have to come among you in a new format.

This in itself is a big loss for me that I am not being able to meet you in person, not seeing the happiness on your faces and not experiencing your enthusiasm. But still, the exam is there. You are there, I am here and there is an exam. So, it is better that we continue with the discussion on the exam and we will not take a break this year also.

We are going to start our conversation. To start with, I would like to tell one thing to the countrymen, parents and teachers that this is 'Pariksha Pe Charcha'. But it is not just about exams. We can discuss many things. We have to create a light-hearted atmosphere and instill new confidence. We will do it in the same way as we talk among loved ones and friends at home.

Question- 1-A.

M Pallavi, Govt. High School, Podili, Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh

Namaste hon’ble PM Sir, (Modiji: Namaskar, Namaskar): My name is M. Pallavi, I am studying in 9th class. Sir, we often feel that the studies are going well but as the examinations approach, the situation becomes tense. Please suggest any solution, Sir.  Many thanks, Sir.

Thanks, Pallavi, I am told that there is another similar question.

 Question-1-B. -

Arpan Pandey - Global India International School, Malaysia

Regards, Respected Prime Minister. My name is Arpan Pandey. I am a student of class 12th in Global Indian International School Malaysia. I expect you to answer a question for my future success and I hope you will guide me. My question is, how do we overcome the fear and stress during exam preparation and whether we will be able to score good marks or not or whether we will get admission to a good college or not? Thank you.

Answer-

Pallavi, Arpan, when you talk of this fear, I also get scared. What is it that should be feared? Are you going to take a exam for the first time? Have you never even written an exam before? Did you not know that the exam comes in the months of March and April?

You already knew it for a year. Exams didn't come suddenly. And that which has not come suddenly, so sky has not fallen!

It means that you are not afraid of exams, you are afraid of something else, and what is that? An environment has been created around you that this exam is everything in life. Sometimes, society, school, parents and relatives create such an environment and discuss as if you have to go through a very big event, a very big crisis. I would like to tell them, especially to the parents, what have you done?

I think this is the biggest mistake. We become unnecessarily over-conscious. We start thinking too much. I am of the view that this is not the last achievement in life. Life is very long, there will be many phases, and this is just a small phase. We should not create pressure, whether it is a teacher, student, family member, or friend. If there is no pressure from outside, then the pressure of the exam will never be felt. Confidence will flourish and pressure will be released. Children should live tension-free at home and indulge in light-hearted things that they used to do earlier.

See friends, what used to happen earlier? Earlier parents were more involved with the children on many issues. They used to be comfortable with the children. Most of the people who are involved today are only regarding career, exams, studies, books, syllabus, etc. I do not consider it involvement, because they are not aware of the real potential of their children. If the parents are more involved, then they know the children's interests, nature, tendencies, etc, and even try to rectify flaws, if any.

As a result, the confidence level of the child grows. His strength as well as his weaknesses are known to the parents. Therefore, the parents try to put aside any weakness and emphasize his strength.

But today some parents are so busy that they do not get time to engage with their children in a real sense. What is the result? Today, the parents look at the exam results to know the potential of the child. The assessment of children has been limited to the exam results. There are many such things in the child beyond marks which the parents are not able to notice.

Friends, we have a word 'criterion' for the exam. It does not mean one has to be tested all the time. It is not that the exam is the last thing in the world. Rather, the exam is a good opportunity to measure oneself for a long life ahead. The problem arises when we consider exams as the end of our dreams and make them a life and death issue. Actually, an exam is an opportunity to chisel life. It is an opportunity and it should be taken as such. Actually, we should keep looking for opportunities to test ourselves so that we can do better, we should not run away.

Let's move on to the next question, friends.

Question- 2-A.      

Ms. Punyo Sunya - Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Papum Pare, Arunachal Pradesh

Hon’ble Prime Minister, Namaskar (Modiji: Namaskar). My name is Punyo Sunya, I am a student of Class XI.  My school’s name is Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, District Papum Pare, Arunachal Pradesh.

Hon’ble Prime Minister, there are some subjects and chapters, about which I am not comfortable, and I keep trying to get rid of them. No matter how hard I try, I can't follow them. Maybe it's because I'm scared of those subjects. Sir, how to resolve this problem? Thank you, Sir.

We have reached Arunachal from Andhra to Malaysia and I am told that there is another similar question.

Question- 2-B

Ms. Vineeta Garg, SRDAV Public School, Dayanand Vihar, Delhi

 (Modiji: Namaskar) Hon’ble Prime Minister, Namaskar. My name is Vinita Garg and I have been working in SRDAV Public School for the last 25 years. My question is, some students have fear for some subjects and they try to avoid them. Teachers of subjects like History or Mathematics can understand this very well. What can we do as teachers to make this situation better?

Answer-

This is a different type of topic that has come before me. I will try to reach the students and offer some solutions with regard to teachers’ concerns as well. Both of you have spoken about fear of a particular subject or chapter. You are not the only one who has to face this situation. The reality is that there will not be a single person in the world who does not have to face this.

Suppose, you have 5-6 very nice shirts, but you like 1 or 2 shirts so much that you wear them often. It does not mean that the rest are useless or their fitting is not proper. You like those two shirts and wear them often. Sometimes, parents also get angry when you wear them repeatedly. “You wore it two days ago”, they say.

Likes and dislikes are traits of human beings and sometimes you develop an attachment with what you like. Where is the question of fear or dilemma?

Actually, what happens is that you become comfortable with what you like. But when you are not comfortable with something, you spend 80 percent of your energy on stress. Therefore, I would urge students to distribute their energy equally. Distribute equal time to all the subjects. You have 2 hours to study, so in those hours read every subject with equal spirit. Distribute your time equally.

Friends, you must have seen that teachers and parents teach us to attempt first what is easy. This is commonly said, and especially in exams, to attempt the easier ones first. ‘When you have time, try to solve the difficult ones.’ But I think this advice is not necessary and useful regarding studies. I look at this from a different point of view.

I say that one should attempt first what is difficult when it comes to studies, because your mind is fresh and you should try to attend it first. When you attend the difficult ones, then the simple ones will become even easier.

I will tell you about my experience. When I was Chief Minister and later when I became Prime Minister, I also had to read and learn a lot to understand many things. I try to start off with difficult things which require serious decisions. The officers bring up the difficult issues in the morning and they know that my mood is different then. I grasp things very easily and move in the direction of decision-making. I have made my own rule and have tried it. So after a day’s hard work and fatigue, I take up issues late at night that do not require much application because the chances of mistakes are negligible. I finish up those things till late at night. The next morning, I start with taking up challenging issues.

One more thing, friends, we should learn from ourselves. People, who are very successful in life, are not proficient in every subject. But their command of a particular subject is tremendous. For example, Lata Didi! Lata Mangeshkarji is very popular in the world. But if she is asked to teach chapters of geography in a class, I am not sure she will be able to teach. Lataji may not have mastered geography, but what she has done in the world of music and spent her life on that subject that she has become an inspiration for everyone today. Therefore, you may find some subjects difficult, but that does not mean there is any shortcoming in your life. You just keep in mind that you do not distance yourself from the study of this difficult subject.

At the same time, my advice to the teachers is that they should talk to the students about their time management, their modalities and discuss with them other things besides the syllabus. They should guide them rather than admonish them because it often results in negativity among students. If encouraged, they become powerhouses. Some things must be said publicly in the class so that everyone will be enlightened, but there are many things like calling a student and encouraging him by saying with affection that he is doing well and telling him about his strength. It will be very useful.

You should do one thing. Try to find out what you found very difficult in your early part of life and today you are able to do it easily. Make a list of such tasks. For example, you may have found it difficult to ride a cycle, but now you can do the same thing easily. You must have been very scared to swim, but you must have learned to swim well today. You made what was once difficult easy. There will be hundreds of such things in your life. If you recall and write it on some paper, then you will never have to ask any difficult question to anyone, even me, because you will never find anything which is difficult. Trust me friends, try it once.

Question-3. Neel Ananth, K.M.,  Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

Hon’ble Prime Minister Ji, Vanakkam! (Modiji: Vanakkam, Vanakkam). I am studying in 12th standard in Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Kanyakumari.

Dear Sir, we have more free time than usual due to online classes in this pandemic situation. I would like to know how we can make the best use of our free time. My thanks to the Prime Minister for giving me this opportunity!

Answer-

Vanakkam! When your parents come to know that you are talking about the free time during exams, see what happens. Well, I liked this question that you are paying attention to the free time even during the exam and discussing free time. Look friends, don’t consider free time to be free, in fact, it is a treasure. Free time is a privilege, an opportunity. There must be moments of free time in your daily routine, otherwise, life becomes like a robot.

Actually, free time can be of two types -

One, that you know in advance that you are free from 3 to 4 o'clock, or you are free for half a day on Sunday. The second is when you get to know in the last moment. If you already know that you have free time, then you can tell your parents or your siblings that you want to help them.

Secondly, think about the things that make you happy.

Though it is a little heavy word – स्वान्त सुखाय i.e., you can do anything which gives you happiness and entertains your mind. Now that you have asked me, I must also share what I like to do. I have observed in my daily routine that if I get even a little bit of free time and if I have a swing, then I feel like sitting on the swing for a few moments. If I am very tired and have time even for five minutes, or even if I am doing some work, then sitting on the swing in my spare time makes me happy.

When you earn free time, you get to know its true value. That's why your life should be such that when you earn free time, it should give you immense pleasure.

It also needs to be kept in mind what should be avoided during free time; otherwise, your entire free time will be consumed by that thing. You will not even realize and in the end instead of being refreshed and relaxed, you will get fed up and start feeling tired.

One more thing I feel is that we should look for things to increase our curiosity which may become very productive. Observe your parents, when they are cooking. Learning new things have a very deep impact on life.

Another best use of free time can be to involve yourself in some activities in which you can express yourself, which bring out your uniqueness, which can connect you with your individuality. There can be sports, music, writing, painting, story writing, etc. You can do a lot.

Give a creative way to your thoughts, to express your emotions. Sometimes, the scope of knowledge is limited only to what is available to you, which is around you. But the scope of creativity takes you far beyond knowledge. Creativity can take you where no one has ever reached before. In our country, there is a saying that poets reach where even the Sun cannot reach.

Question-4-A. Aashay Kekatpure - Bengaluru, Karnataka           

Namaste, Hon’ble PM Sir. I am Aashay Kekatpure from Bengaluru. My question is what is the best way to teach good values to children? Thank you.

A question has come to me through the NaMo app. I do not have its visuals, but I liked that question, so I feel that I must share it with you. Praveen Kumar has asked this from Patna:

Question-4-B - Praveen Kumar, Patna, Bihar

Sir, today, it has become a bit difficult for parents to raise their children. The reason is today's world and the children. So how do we ensure that our children have good behavior, habits and character?

Answer-

Being a conscious father, Praveen Kumar is probably asking me this. It is a very difficult question for me. I would say that you should introspect yourself first. Isn't it the way you want your children to live the life you have chosen for yourself? And if there is a slight change in their lifestyle, you start thinking that there is a decline in their values. I remember vividly when I was talking to a group of young people involved in start-ups, a daughter from Bengal who started her start-up, shared her experience. She said that she quit her job and career for a start-up. When her mother came to about it, she cursed her. This shocked the mother so much, but later that daughter was very successful in her start-up.

You should give thought to whether you are not trying to hold your child in your emotional world? Therefore, you must identify your family, your traditions and how to emphasize the core values in it.

There is a saying in our country that public service is service to God. This is in our scriptures. You do a lot of worshipping and people think that you are very religious, but you don’t do any public service. When your child sees this contradiction, conflict starts in his mind. Questions arise, and it is natural also.

Similarly, according to our values, God resides in all living beings. We have been taught this. But did you ever bother about those who come to your house for cleaning, the liftman or the auto-rickshaw driver who drops you off at school? Did you ever ask them whether somebody in their family was infected with Corona? How was everybody in their family? Whether everything is fine in their village?  Did you ever ask them? Had you done so, you would not have to teach values to your child.

I'm not questioning you? I'm talking about normal behavior. Some people don't really do that. There is a birthday of a child in the family and there are so many preparations to be made. There are many people who would ask the people who help them in their households to finish everything by 5 p.m. as guests would start pouring in from  6 p.m. Do you ever tell those people to come well-dressed to the party with their family? Rather, what do you say? You tell them that a lot of guests would come and they would have to stay late. Your child is watching everything that there is a party at home and all those who put in hard work are not part of that party. And then the conflict starts in the mind of that child.

Let me give you another example. We say sons and daughters are equal. These are our values. The goddesses have as much importance in our imagination of the divine form. But, knowingly or unknowingly, there is inequality while treating sons and daughters in households. And later, the same son develops the same feeling while he enters the social life.

It is true that if family values are good then evils do not prevail, but still something is lacking as our behavior towards sons and daughters is concerned. Therefore, when our behavior does not meet that yardstick, conflict develops in the minds of children. So never try to impose values. Try to inspire others by practicing values yourself.

After all, children are very smart. It is difficult to say whether they will follow what you say or not, but there is a good probability that they will watch very closely what you are doing and will be tempted to copy it. And when you instinctively combine these values, our history, our Puranas, children will be inspired too. It will be easier to put values into practice.

Question-5.  Pratibha Gupta, Ludhiana, Punjab

Hello Sir, I am Pratibha Gupta from Kundan Vidya Mandir, Ludhiana. My question to you is that we always have to run after children to get work done. How can we make them self-motivated so that they can do their own work? Thank you.

Answer -

If you don't mind, I have a slightly different opinion on this subject. I think we have to run after children because they are faster than us.

It is true that everyone in the family has the responsibility for the upbringing of their children and to teach them. But sometimes, we, as elders, should also evaluate ourselves. We try to mould children according to our thoughts and that's where the problem starts. We make it a symbol of social status. Often parents set some goals and parameters in their minds and have some dreams. Then they put the burden of fulfilling their dreams and goals on the children. Knowingly or unknowingly, we use our children as an instrument for our own purposes. Sorry, if you find my words harsh. And when we don’t succeed in taking our children in that direction, we begin to say that children lack motivation and inspiration.

Training is the first part to motivate anyone. Once the child's mind is trained, motivation will follow. Training can have many means and ways.

Good books, good movies, good stories, good poems, good idioms, or good experiences! All of these are in a way training tools. Like, you want your child to get up in the morning and study. You request him and scold him as well, but to no avail. But do you ever discuss those books in your house which list the benefits of getting up in the morning? In our country, spiritual people start their day from the divine moment and follow the norms accordingly.

Nowadays, on the other hand, the 5 AM Club is also in the news. Have you ever discussed a book at home, or a movie, or a documentary that talks about it in a scientific and logical way? Try it once and the child will be trained to wake up in the morning. Once the mind is trained and the child realizes the benefits of waking up in the morning, he himself will be motivated. This is what Environment Creation is all about and which is most needed in the house.

Remember the time of your child’s early days, when you would embrace him in your lap. Suppose you had a pen in your pocket or you were wearing glasses, the child tried to pull it or take off the glasses. So what did you do then? He would cry if you tried to take back the glasses or the pen. What do sensible parents do? They give him a huge ball. What does the child do? He drops the glasses and the pen and starts playing with the ball. He stops crying and you get an easy solution. You used to motivate him by diverting his mind, by giving him other positive things he liked more. You can still do the same that you did before when your child was very young.

You may have heard - "One lamp lights another". Your child should not be dependent on outside force; but should be illuminated from within. The light that you want to see inside your children, that light should shine from within. And that is possible with your conscious active efforts. The children will observe very closely the changes which will accompany your action.

Here I would like to draw your attention to one more thing. Never ever create fear in children. Please don't try that. In a way, that method seems very easy, but it increases the chances of negative motivation. As soon as that fear is over, the child loses motivation. Therefore, you should emphasize positive motivation.

The mantra of motivation, which is for the children, in a way, it is also for all of us, for human beings only.

Question-6-A.  Tanay, a foreign student, Salmiya Indian Model School, Kuwait    

Namaste Prime Minister Sir, (Modiji: Namaste). My name is Tanay and I am a student of Salmiya Indian Model School, Kuwait. Sir, I have a question. How to prepare ourselves for the battle of life? Thank You Sir.

Question-6-B  Ashraf Khan - Mussoorie, Uttarakhand               

Ashraf Khan from Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, has written on NaMo app.

Sir, when we talk to our elder cousins or friends, they say that ‘you have hardly seen life in school. The real test of life would be once you are out of school’. My question is how do we prepare ourselves today for tomorrow's challenges?

Answer-

Tanay, you are talking to me from Kuwait, but Tanay, has anyone ever noticed that your voice is god- gifted. Have you ever been told by your parents, friends or your teachers? Have you noticed it? After listening to your question, though it is recorded, I believe for sure that you have been given a very special kind of voice by God. It can be your great gift.

As far as your question is concerned, the people who tell you this and they have their way of saying this as advice, but if you look at the truth within, they are trying to make themselves a hero. Or they magnify their failures so that they can get an escape route. And, therefore, they show that they have huge challenges.

My simple mantra in this regard is to ignore it.

Yes, the question is very natural, what after the tenth or the twelfth? It is in the mind of every child and neither can I deny it nor anyone else. For many, this question may be a source of anxiety and frustration. Unfortunately, in today's dazzling age, due to celebrity culture and its influence, it has become a trend among students to copy somebody who appears on TV, or who is discussed in newspapers. There is nothing wrong with it, but it is far from the reality of life.

With the one or two thousand people that we see in the media, the world is not so small. Such a large world order, such a long human history, such rapid changes, all these come with a lot of opportunities. The truth of life is that there are as many variations as there are people. There are as many opportunities as there are people. We need to widen the scope of our curiosity.

Therefore, it is essential that you learn to observe life around you when you are in class X, or in class XII. There are so many professions around you and different kinds of jobs. Train yourself, improve your skill, and take advantage of it. One of the arguments of choosing a career is that many people look for an easy route in life and desire accolades very soon, or achieve financially important status. This desire sometimes leads to darkness, not every time in life. Then this is the age when dreaming and immersing in dreams feels good.

Dreams are good, but it is not right to only sit and dream. What is more important is to go beyond dreams and make a determination to achieve those dreams. You should think, what is one of your dreams that you would like to make a resolution of your life? Once you make the resolution, you will find the way forward very clearly.

Question-7-A   Amrita Jain, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh               

Hon’ble Prime Minister, I am sorry, my question is not related to the examination. So please don't laugh at it. Nowadays, kids don't eat properly. They are more interested in chips, chocolates and junk food. Would you please tell us what we should do about it?

Question-7-B. Sunita Paul - Raipur, Chhattisgarh

There are more similar questions. Sunita Paul ji from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, has written on the Narendra Modi app. Sir, our children don’t eat what we give in the tiffin and always insist on eating fast food. Please guide us on this issue.

Answer-

I do not understand whether I should smile or laugh out loud at these questions. If we deal with this issue psychologically, then maybe the solution will be easier.

Psychologically, we should create a sense of pride in our traditional food items. Talk about their specialties. The members of the house should also know the process of cooking, the activities in the kitchen and how difficult it is to cook food. All these things should be discussed in front of the children also. How the food is cooked, how long it takes to cook, how many ingredients are there. Then they will realize that it requires many efforts to fill the plate.

There are so many food-related websites these days. There is no shortage of healthy food. Can we gather information from these websites and develop a game about these foods which we can play once a week? For example, we can talk about the importance of carrots, what are its benefits and what are the nutrients? Try it out.

Secondly, the family doctor in our house is almost like a friend. Whenever he visits your home, the entire family should listen to him about the important aspects of food. How to get nutrients from which food and what to eat? They can tell you the hereditary problems and what food is necessary to avoid them. This will also benefit the children.

Thirdly, you can request the teacher, take her into confidence and tell her the problems you are facing, especially regarding the food habits of your child. You see, the teacher will use humor and jokes and instill in his mind why he should eat home-cooked food. The words of the teacher have a different impact on the child. We should also keep experimenting with something new. I have seen many instances where traditional food is served to the children in different forms. It also creates a natural attraction in children towards that food. Well, this is a topic beyond my syllabus but maybe some of my suggestions will work for you.

Question – Divyanka, Namaskar! What do you study, Divyanka?

Sir, I am a Commerce student.

Do you live in Pushkar?

Yes, Sir.

So tell me something sacred about Pushkar. What is the specialty of Pushkar?

Yes, there is one and only Brahma temple in Pushkar.

Yes…

And Pushkar Raj is the guru of 68 shrines.

Ok, what has been the role of Brahma?

He created the earth.

Ok. Divyanka, tell me what was your question?

Question- 8. Divyanka Parashar, Mukhiya Colony, Parikrama Marg, Badi Basti, Pushkar.

Sir, I have some friends who have an average memory. No matter how much they study any subject, they cannot remember it in the exam. Sir, what should they do so that they can remember that subject?

Answer

Well, you need memory herbs!

Yes, Sir…

Look Divyanka, if you really have a habit of forgetting then you would not ask me, because you would have forgotten the question as well. First of all, you must delete this word from your dictionary. Don't think that you do not have the power to remember. If you look at some events related to yourself, you will know that you really remember a lot of things.

For example, your Mother Tongue! Did anyone teach you Mother Tongue with grammar?

No, Sir.

Did you learn it in school or through a book? No. You learned it by listening to others. So these are the things. Just think, did you ever try to learn things which you like? You never forget things that you are completely attached to and which have become part of you and your flow of thoughts.

In other words, it is not memorized, it is actually internalized.

And internalizing is a good way to do this. So instead of insisting on remembering, you should try to live it with spontaneity, simplicity and totality. You have the same powers that a talented person has. Imagine if you had a quarrel with your brother or sister, you remember it. You do not forget. You would even remember what clothes you or your siblings wore at that time, whether you were fighting while standing or running. You would remember each and everything.

Yes, Sir…

It means that you were fully involved in it; you were living that moment to the fullest. It is very important to stay in the moment you are in and to be fully involved if you have to remember things and recall them. That is, when we study, the book is in our hands, but the mind is in the playground or with friends, then it gets messed up.

If any of you study psychology later, then the concept of Memory by Association will be explained in detail. You recall, the national anthem is played in the morning assembly in schools. Now everyone sings Jana-Gana-Mana, but have you ever traveled the country while singing the national anthem? Could you visualize the words that come with it? Did you travel to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Bengal in your mind while singing the national anthem? If you do so, you will suddenly start remembering.

If the mind visualizes, then you remember well. There will be another benefit. You will also find yourself immersed in the country. That is, involve, internalize, associate and visualize. You can follow this formula to sharpen your memory.

Let me give you another example. You have notebooks, books on different subjects. When you leave home make sure to arrange notebooks of various subjects number-wise in the bag. It can be at number four or number three. And if you have kept the history book in number three or the geography book in number four, you will find that you will be able to get the history book from number three without even opening your eyes.

See how much your confidence level will grow.

I felt good that I got a chance to talk to you and I salute the people of Rajasthan and also the holy land of Pushkar from here. Thank you very much.

Thanks.

Question- 9. Suhaan Sehgal, Ahlcon International, Mayur Vihar, Delhi

Namaste ji.

Namaskar, Sir.

Yes, tell me.

My question is that when we have to remember the answer to a question, we remember it well. But when we start writing in school, all of a sudden we forget everything just by looking at the question paper. Sir, please explain why this happens?

What is your good name?

Suhaan Sehgal

Ok, Sehgal ji, where do you study?

Ahlcon International School.

Have you ever asked this question to anybody before?

No, Sir…

You did not ask? Did you ask your parents?

No, Sir.

Did you ask your teacher?

No, Sir.

You're amazing, friend. Did you find only me to ask this question?

Answer-

I understand your question. Most of the students have this anxiety. When I used to study, I too had this problem.

You see, when you go to the examination hall, you should calm your mind completely.

I can see you on the TV screen right now. You are so calm, confident and smiling. Be like this when you go to the examination hall. You will not forget anything.

When your mind is restless; you are anxious and nervous, it is very likely that you will forget everything for a while upon seeing the question paper. The best solution is to leave all your worries outside the exam hall. You should have this feeling that you have done the preparation which was required and now your focus should be on answering questions. You should never be worried thinking about what will happen if a question that you have not read comes up.

I will tell everybody that many activities and suggestions have been offered in the Exam Warrior book on how to approach examinations without any tension. Since I got some time during the Corona period, I have made some improvements and added new chapters. This time, it is not only mantras for children, but I have written a lot for parents as well. So many activities are also there on the NaMo app. You can participate and share it with your friends as well. I am sure it will help you and your friends. I would like you to write me a letter if you find the book Exam Warrior useful. Will you write to me?

Yes, Sir.

Great!

Thank You, Sir.

Question- 10. Dharavi Bopat - Global Mission International School, Ahmedabad      

Namaste ji!

My name is Dharavi Bopat. I am a Commerce student and in the 11th standard and studying in Sanskar Dham of Global Mission International School, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Sir, industry, trade, governments must have suffered in this Corona period. But have you ever wondered what problems were faced by the students? How do I remember this crisis in my life? It seems that one year of students has been wasted. What would you do if you were in my place? Your guidance will give us  direction. Thank you.

Answer

Dharavi, do you have a brother?

Sir, I have a younger sister.

Well, do you scold the younger sister in the same way as you were speaking now?

No, Sir.

Have you come to Sabarmati Ashram before or this is your first visit?

Sir, I have come here for the first time.

You came for the first time! For how long have you been living in Ahmedabad?

Six years, Sir

Well, you have been living there for six years and you never felt that you should visit such an important place of India's independence. You must have come this morning.

Yes, Sir.

What did you see today? Did you see everything?

Yes, Sir.

Did you experience peace of mind?

Yes, Sir. Very much!

You should tell your friends of Sanskar Dham, family and friends that they should also visit Sabarmati Ashram and experience peace.

You should spend a few moments of silence there. Will you?

Yes, Sir. Sure.

Ok, let me get to your question now. I started preaching Dharavi.

You are absolutely right. As far as Corona is concerned, I see it this way that you have to bear the brunt of the mistake you did not make. This is a life lesson for you that sometimes a lot happens suddenly in life which is unimaginable. And you have no control over these events. Even during Corona, we can say that the loss of the children and youth has been huge. For a child, the loss of one year is like a void in the foundation of a big building. Filling this gap is not easy.

What do you mean by school age?

Laughing, playing, playing in the clay, throwing clay, enjoying summer, winter, rain, everything with friends, teachers in the classroom, gossiping, telling even the smallest incident of the house to everybody … all these are very essential for the development journey of life. You can instinctively learn from all these things.

If you remember the time before the Corona period, you would be thinking how much you have missed. If much has been lost during the Corona period, much has also been gained. The very first lesson of Corona is that you realize the importance of the things you missed, the people you missed in your life. You realized that nothing should be taken for granted, whether it’s sports, physical classes at school, vegetable sellers near your house, ironmen, shopkeepers in the nearby market. You realize the importance of these people and other things when you miss them the most. Therefore, you should be constantly aware in this direction and remember this lifelong lesson.

These things should not be neglected even after Corona. At the same time, you should also remember that there are a few things needed to live life in the true sense. Secondly, in this one year, you may have unknowingly got an opportunity to peek inside yourself, to get to know yourself.

Another thing that has happened in the Corona period is that we have understood each other more closely in our families. Corona forced social distancing, but it also strengthened emotional bonding in families. The Corona period has also shown the strength of a joint family and how much role they play in shaping the life of the children. I would like people from social sciences and our universities to do research on this. They should study family life during the Corona period and explore this aspect of how the joint families gave strength to society in coping with this crisis.

We focused on many important topics like Ayurvedic decoction, nutritious food, cleanliness, immunity during the Corona period. What people did during this period, maybe the problem would have been much less had they been doing it before. It is good that now people have incorporated these changes into their lives.

And that is why I would say that it is important that the children are thinking, talking about such serious aspects.

Thank you, Son.

Question- 11. Krishty Saikia - Kendriya Vidyalaya IIT Guwahati.

Hon'ble Prime Minister, I am Krishty Saikia, Class X student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, IIT Guwahati. I greet you on behalf of the people of Assam. Sir, as a child of the new generation, we always want to bridge the generation gap between our parents and ourselves. Prime Minister Sir, how can we do this? Please guide us.

What is your name?

Sir, Krishty Saikia

How do you speak such good Hindi?

Thanks, Sir.

Answer-

You asked a very question. I appreciate you for asking the question as a student. It shows how sensitive you are to this issue. You are not only understanding this; but also trying to bridge the generation gap between two generations.

But I have to talk to the parents about this. One thing that parents have to decide is whether they want to grow old, or stay young. And you must ask these questions to your parents also. If parents want to grow old, then they can keep maintaining distance from their children and keep widening the gap. But if you want to stay young, then close the gap with your children.

Develop closeness. This is to your advantage. Remember, when your child was one year old, how did you talk to him? How did you make such sounds to make him laugh? How did you talk to him by making different expressions on your face? In doing so, did you ever wonder what someone would say if they saw you?

Did you ever think when people see you doing this, what they would say, how he is making faces, how he is making sounds? Did you ever wonder what was going on in your child's mind at that time? You enjoyed it at that time, so you did it. You didn’t care about anyone and you became a child yourself.

You yourself became a toy to play with the child and played with the child’s toys as much. You remember, sometimes you would become a horse, sometimes you would walk with the baby on your back, or walking around the house by placing him on your shoulder, or walking with four legs, or faked crying to silence your child. At that time, you did not care what others would say, what the rest of the family would say, what society would say, what friends would say. Ever wondered? You enjoy that moment and it lasts until the child is 5-6 years old. As the child gets a little older, then parents develop such a mentality that they want to dominate the child, want to teach the child everything. All of a sudden, those who were friends with the child earlier become instructors and sometimes even inspectors.

Friends, the child observes many things when he steps into the outside world. He starts seeing something new, something different from what he saw at home. At that time, it is your conscious responsibility to make your child flourish in that new environment. And the best way to do this is to connect with his mind, follow his mind and listen to everything he says emotionally. It’s also not that you have to listen to him while you are busy talking on the phone. If your child has done something which you don’t like, then don't scold him, don't tease him and just keep listening. If you listen to him, he will realize how much you love him. But yes, something which is not to your liking, keep it within yourself, because some of these things are important for the growing children.

Listen to him as much as you can, try to understand him. Do not explain to him like an instructor what he has to do from morning to evening. Don't ask him again and again and just keep your eyes and ears open. You ponder over the things that you did not like about him and create an environment so that he can see for himself where he is going wrong.

When parents associate with their children, then there is no issue. If a child is listening to a new song, enjoying listening to new music, try to join him in that enjoyment. You don't tell him that you will play a song which was there 30 years ago of your time. Don't do that. Join the song he likes and enjoy it.

Try to understand what is in the song that your child is enjoying. But what happens? We find that some parents tell him ‘what a useless song you are listening to; the real music used to happen in our time, now what is made is just noise.’ Sometimes, it so happens that the child comes and tells you something which he did in school. But you harp on your stories and put him off by saying ‘what is new in it’.

Show interest in your child when he speaks about his generation. When you will join him, you will see how the generation gap bridges. And maybe he understands what you are trying to say. Therefore, both children and adults need to understand each other to bridge the generation gap. You have to gossip with an open mind, you have to understand them, you have to listen to them and you have to be prepared to change yourself. I got such a good question from Assam and I gave such a long answer. But I liked it. Thank you very much.

Thanks, Sir.

Question- 12. Shreyaan Roy, Central Model School,

Namaste, Sir.

Namaste.

I am Shreyaan Roy of Class X. I study in Central Model School, Barrackpore Kolkata.

Sir, in the exam season, more than the exams what scares us is what will happen after exams. What will happen if our results are not good? Is failure in examination actually a failure for us in our life?

Answer:

Why do you think that? If you read the book Exam Warrior, you would answer all these questions yourself. But your question is important. And perhaps such questions keep up popping again and again; and have to be answered again and again.

I want to say this with an open mind that unfortunately, the scope of perception in the field of education and in family life has become so narrow. The numbers you get in the exam cannot be a measure of your ability. Not only in India, you will see many successful people in the world who were not good in numbers in class, but today they are the best in their field. This exam is just one stop. A low score in the exam does not mean that you have suffered a great loss in your life.

Yes, I will tell you about one thing that you should avoid in the future. A new kind of disease is emerging in society, which we can call destination fever. That is, to decide about one’s direction by looking at somebody else’s destination. If any of your relatives succeeded by going somewhere, you think you will also succeed by going there. If someone fails you think you will also fail if you go to the same field. We think that if a student went in that direction; pursued that field, earned his name in that field, then we will do the same, only then our life will be successful. This perception is not right friends. The result of this perception is that many students are under stress.

What you study cannot be the only criteria of success and failure in your life. What you do in life will determine your success and failure. Get out of your pressure, society’s pressure and parents’ pressure.

Sometimes you have to hit the ground to know your potential. I think you must have got your answer.

Friends, I loved it as I got the chance to meet you virtually. I thank you all very much. I really enjoyed it. Talking to you is no less than a passion and happiness for me. I think some of it will definitely work for all of you. It is not necessary to follow what I said. Think in your own way,

Today I want to prepare you for a big exam in which you have to pass with 100% marks. This is to make our India self-reliant.

This is to make Vocal for Local a mantra of life.

I want to request you to make a list with your family when your board exams are over. Try to find out the products that you use from morning till night, the products made on foreign soil and the products which have the fragrance of the soil of Mother India and which have been made by the hard work of the countrymen.

I also want to give you a task after the exam. You all know that our country is celebrating the Amrit Mahotsav of independence on the occasion of 75 years of independence. During Amrit Mahotsav, the country has started a campaign so that all of you should know about our freedom fighters and the freedom struggle. You have to join this campaign. Find out 75 incidents related to the freedom struggle of your state. It can be of a person's struggle or associated with a revolutionary. Write these events in detail in your mother tongue. It will be better if you can write in Hindi and English.

Make it a year-round project and also get guidance from your teachers on how to do it digitally. Talk to your teachers, parents, grandparents and discuss with them what you can do.

Friends, Rabindranath Tagore has written:

“I slept and dreamt that life was a joy.

I awoke and saw that life was service.

I acted and behold, service was a joy.”

See for yourself, when our desires, our goals serve the country, we get connected to millions of lives. So, you should have big dreams for the country. I am confident you will pass this exam with very good marks and you will go far in life. Therefore, study a lot, play a lot and have lots of fun. Send me your messages after the result. I will wait for it.

With these best wishes, thank you very much, all my young friends!

Many best wishes!

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

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DS/VK/AK