Namaskar to all of you! This is my favorite program but I could not meet you in person for some time due to Corona. Today's program is very special for me, because I got to meet you after a long gap. I don't think you would have any tension about the exams. Am I right?  If it has to be then it would be your parents who would be worried about your performance. Tell me, who is tense, you or your family. Those who have tension raise their hands. Ok. Still, there are students who are tense. Who are those who believe that their parents are tense? I think it is mostly the students who are tense. Tomorrow, the New Year, Vikram Samvat, is starting. The month of April is full of many festivals in our country. I wish you all the very best for all the upcoming festivals. But exams do happen in the middle of festivals and hence students are not able to enjoy the festivals. What if exams are turned into festivals? Festivals become very colourful. Therefore, the focus on today’s program would be on how to create a festive atmosphere during exams, how to make them colourful and how do we approach the exams with enthusiasm. Today, we will discuss these things. Many friends have also sent me questions. Some have also sent audio and video messages to me. The media colleagues have also raised many questions by talking to the students. I will definitely try to answer as much as I can within the time limit. This time, I am trying to do something different. The experience of the last five episodes is that some people have complained that they could not share their views. Today, we would like to discuss as much as we can within the time limit. Whenever I get time, I would try to answer the remaining questions through audio, video, or written texts on the NaMo app. There is a new experiment in the NaMo app with a micro site this time. You can visit it and make use of it. So, let’s start the program. Who is the first to ask?

Presenter: Thank you, Hon’ble Prime Minister, Sir. Your inspirational and informative addresses always infuse positive energy and confidence. We are all eagerly waiting for your vast experience and well-informed advice. Sir, we would like to start this program with your blessings and permission. Hon’ble Prime Minister, Khushi Jain, a class 12th student of Vivekananda School in the historical city of Delhi and the capital of India, wants to ask you a question. Please ask your question, Khushi.

It's good that the program is starting with Khushi. We also want that there should be an environment of happiness till the completion of the exams.

Khushi: Hon’ble Prime Minister. Sir, my name is Khushi Jain. I am a class XII student of Vivekananda School, Anand Vihar, Delhi. Sir, how do we prepare for exams when we are in a state of panic? Thank you.

Presenter: Thank you, Khushi. Sir, another class XII student, A. Sridhar Sharma, from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, which is rich in literary tradition, is also facing a similar problem. He is eager to put his point before the Prime Minister. Please ask your question, Sridhar.

A. Shridhar Sharma: Namaskar, Hon’ble Prime Minister. I am A. Shridhar Sharma, class XII student of Arts of South East Central Railway Higher Secondary School No.1, Chhattisgarh, Bilaspur. Sir, how do I deal with exam stress? What would happen if I don't get good marks and grades and how should I deal with my family's disappointment?

Presenter: Thanks, Sridhar. From the land where the Sabarmati Sant Mahatma Gandhiji started his Satyagrah Movement, I invite Keni Patel, a class 10th student of Vadodara who earnestly seeks your guidance on similar challenges faced by her. Keni, please ask your question.

Keni Patel: Greetings Prime Minister Sir. My name is Keni Patel. I am from Tree House High School, Vadodara, Gujarat, and from Class 10th. My question is how to overcome the stress of completing the whole syllabus in advance with proper revision? And how to take proper sleep and rest during the examination time. Thank You, Sir.

Presenter: Thank you, Keni. Hon'ble Prime Minister, Khushi, Sridhar Sharma and Kenny Patel are distressed by the examination tension. Many other students from across the country have asked similar questions related to exam stress. Almost all students are affected by exam stress and they look forward to your guidance. Over to the Hon’ble Prime Minister!

Prime Minister: You have asked me so many questions at the same time that I am panicked. I want to ask why you have fear in your mind. Are you going to give exams for the first time? There is no one among you who is going to give exams for the first time. All of you have given so many exams. In a way, you have reached the end of this phase of the exams. The fear of drowning on the shore after crossing such a huge sea does not suit. Firstly, make up your mind that the examination is a natural part of life. These are small steps in our development journey that we have to go through. And you have overcome that stage when you have given so many exams. In a way, you have become ‘exam-proof’. And when you have this belief then your experiences become your strength for any future exam. Don’t undermine the process of experiences that you have gone through. Secondly, is the panic not due to lack of preparedness? I have a suggestion for you. Since not much time is left for exams, do you want to live with this burden or want to move ahead with confidence regarding your preparations. Maybe, you would have missed a couple of things. What if you could not put in effort in one or the other subjects? But you should have full confidence in what you have prepared. It can overcome other issues. Therefore, I urge you not to be under this pressure. Do not let an environment for panic to flourish. You should have the same simple routine during your exam time. Changes in your routine will disturb your nature. Don’t imitate what the other person is doing? Just because your friend follows that and scores marks, so you should also do the same. Don’t do it. You follow what you have been doing for so long and have confidence in it. I am sure you will be able to give exams comfortably and enthusiastically in a festive mood and will succeed.

Presenter: Thank You, Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir for teaching us to accept exams as a natural experience and to believe in ourselves. Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir, the next question comes from Mysuru, Karnataka, renowned for its heritage destinations and national parks. Tarun MB, who is a class 11th student, here, seeks a solution to his problem. Tarun, may we have your question please.

Tarun: Good Morning Sir. I am Tarun MB studying in class 11th at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Mysuru, Karnataka. I express my sincere gratitude in being given an opportunity to participate in the 5th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2022. My question to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji Sir is how a student can be focused while studying in the morning because there are so many distractions like YouTube, WhatsApp and other social media apps. It is very difficult to study online because of this Sir. Is there any solution for this? Thank You, Sir.

Presenter: Thank you, Tarun. Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir, Shahid Ali, a class 10th student of Silver Oak School, Delhi Cantonment Board, is eager to ask his question on a similar subject. Shahid, please ask your question.

Shahid: Namaskar, Sir. Hon’ble Prime Minister, myself Shahid Ali and I am a student of class 10th in Silver Oak School, Delhi Cantonment Board. For the last two years, we have been doing our studies in online mode. The use of the Internet has made many of us addicted to social media and online gaming. What should we do to get out of this situation? Kindly guide us.

Presenter: Thank You, Shahid. Hon’ble Sir, Keerthana Nair, a class 10th student from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, is plagued by the same problem and expects to receive guidance from you. Sir, Keertana’s question has been received from Times Now. Keerthana, please ask your question.

Keerthana: Hi, I am Keerthana from Class 10th from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. As we all know our classes have shifted online during the pandemic. There is so much distraction in our homes in the form of mobile, social media etc. Sir, so my question is how can we improve the learning through online classes?

Presenter: Thank You, Keerthana. Hon’ble Sir, online education has challenged not only students but teachers too. Mr. Chandachudeshwaran M, a teacher from Krishnagiri, seeks guidance and direction from you. Sir, please ask your question.

Chandachudeshwaran M: Namaste, Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir. I am Chandachudeshwaran from Ashok Leyland School, Hosur, Tamil Nadu. My question is - As a teacher, conducting online teaching and learning has become a challenge.  How to face it, Sir? Thanks.

Presenter: Thank You, Sir. Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir, Tarun, Shahid, Keerthana and Chandachudeshwaran Sir are all anxious about the online education which has caused them to get addicted to and distracted by social media during the last two years. Hon’ble Sir, we have received many similar questions from different parts of the country. Out of those these are the selected ones that sum up everyone’s concerns. I request you to please guide them, Sir.

Prime Minister: A question comes to my mind. You say that your mind wanders here and there. Ask yourself a little bit when you do online reading, are you actually reading or watching reels? I won’t ask you to raise your hands. But you realize that I have caught you. Actually, the fault is not of being online or offline. You must have experienced that many times you are physically present in the classroom and your eyes are on your teacher, but your mind may not be registering what the teacher is saying. Things which are offline are also online. It means that the medium is not the problem, but the ‘mann’ (mind). If I am attached to something, no matter whether the medium is online or offline, it does not make a difference. Modes change with time. There was no printing paper and no books during the days of Gurukul centuries ago. The students used to memorize by listening to their gurus. It continued for generations. Then came the new era and along with it there were printed material and books and students got into the new mode. This evolution has been going on continuously. And this is the characteristic of a human being that he is also part of the evolution. Today, we have easy and wide access to many things through digital gadgets and new technological tools. We should consider it an opportunity and not a problem. We should attempt to use online studies as a reward. If you compare the notes from your teacher and the standard material available online, you can add value to your studies. Besides remembering what your teacher taught you, you get two additional things online. If you combine the two, it will be very useful to us. The second advantage of online is that it is part of education. Acquisition of knowledge is important, not how you get it whether it’s offline or online. Whatever knowledge you get through offline mode can be accentuated through online modes, whether it is your mobile phone or iPad. My friends from South India greeted me with ‘Vanakkam’. If you are asked how Dosa is prepared. You will search online and find out about its ingredients and the process. You made the best of the Dosa on the computer, used all the ingredients, but would it fill your stomach? But the knowledge that you gained through your searches on computer and you prepared Dosa finally, then it certainly would fill your stomach. So use online to strengthen your base. You have to make it a reality in life by going offline. The same is true of education. Earlier you had very limited means to acquire knowledge. You had books, teachers and your surrounding environment. There are unlimited resources today. You can adopt as much as you want to make yourself all-encompassing. Therefore, consider online an opportunity. But if you simply want to waste your time, then there are tools in that regard also. Every gadget has some tools which instruct you to do this or warn you against doing something, or ask you to take a break and return after 15 minutes. You can use such tools to discipline yourself. I have seen many children making maximum use of these tools online and restricting themselves. It is equally important to connect with yourself in life. The pleasure that one gets through iPads or mobile phones can be thousand times more if one tries to dig deep inside. Take some time off from your daily life when you will be neither online nor offline, but inner line. The more you go deep into yourself, the more energy you will experience. If you can do all this then I don’t think you will have any problems. 

Presenter: Hon’ble Prime Minister, you have given us the basic mantra that when we concentrate and do our studies, we will definitely succeed. Thanks Sir. Hon’ble Prime Minister, Ms. Suman Rani, who is a teacher from Panipat, Haryana, the main abode of Vedic civilization and Indus Valley Civilization, wants to put a question before you. Ms. Suman Rani Ma'am, please ask your question.

Suman Rani: Namaskar, Prime Minister Sir. I am Suman Rani from TGT Social Science, DAV Police Public School, Panipat. Sir, my question is how will the new education policy provide new opportunities to the students in developing their skills? Thanks, Sir.

Presenter: Thank you ma'am. Sir, Sheela Vaishnav, a class 9th student of East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, popularly known as Scotland of the East, wants to ask you a question on this topic. Sheila, please ask your question.

Sheela Vaishnav: Good Morning Sir. I am Sheela Vaishnav of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, studying in class 9th. My question to the Hon’ble Prime Minister is – How provisions of National Education Policy will empower students’ life in particular, and society in general and pave way for Naya Bharat. Thank You, Sir.

Presenter: Thank You, Sheela. Respected Prime Minister, many more such questions have been received from across the country in regard to the new education policy and students say their interests lie in something else, whereas they study something different. What should they do in such a situation? Kindly guide us.

Prime Minister: A very serious question has been asked and it is difficult to answer it in detail in such a short span of time. First of all, instead of New Education Policy, we should say this is the National Education Policy. Many refer to N in NEP as New. Actually, this is the National Education Policy. And I liked that you asked this. It would probably be a world record in itself that so many people were involved in the policy making of education at such a level. We have been engaged in the making of this policy since 2014. There was brainstorming on this issue at every level, involving teachers and students from villages and towns and remote areas, from across the country for about six-seven years. A gist was prepared with all the inputs and a draft was prepared by the top scholars involved in science and technology following serious discussions. The draft was again put up among people and about 15-20 lakh inputs were received. In a way, the education policy has come about after a comprehensive exercise. Whatever any political party or the government does, there are always voices of protest. But I am happy that the National Education Policy has been welcomed by every section of India and lakhs of such people who were involved in this exercise deserve congratulations. This policy has not been formulated by the government, but by the people, students and teachers for the future of the country. Earlier, physical education and training were considered extracurricular activities. Those in the fifth, sixth or seventh standard would know about it. Now it has been made a part of curriculum under this National Education Policy. Nobody can flourish without playing. Sport is essential if you want to flourish. It involves team spirit, strength and helps you understand your opponent. Whatever you learn about it in books can easily be learned in the field of sports. Earlier, it was outside our education system, it was considered an extracurricular activity. It has now gained prestige and you can see the changes in view of the renewed interest of students among sports. Though there are several things, I want to pinpoint one issue. Can we build the 21^st century with the policies of the 20^th century? I ask you all. Can we move forward to the 21^st century with the 20th century approach, systems and policies? Tell me loudly.

Presenter: No, Sir.

Prime Minister: We can't make progress. Shouldn’t we then mold all our systems and policies according to the 21st century? If we do not evolve ourselves, we will stagnate and will fall behind. Considerable time has been lost and the nation has suffered. We often see that we are not able to pursue the education of our liking due to the wishes of the parents, because of the resources, or the facilities nearby. We simply follow a pattern due to pressure and prestige that we have to become doctors, whereas our interest lies somewhere else.  Somebody may be interested in wildlife, painting, or technology, but chose medicine. Earlier, once you joined a particular stream, you needed to complete it. Now we have ensured that it is not necessary to complete a particular stream if you realize after one or two years that it is not meant for you. So now, the National Education Policy gives you the opportunity to select a new avenue with dignity. We know that the importance of skills has increased a lot all over the world. Only education and wealth of knowledge is not enough. There should be skill. Now we have made it a part of the syllabus so that one should get opportunities for his complete development. I felt very happy when I saw an exhibition today. The education department organized it in a small form reflecting the National Education Policy. I congratulate the education department officials as it was very effective. It was a pleasure watching students of eighth or tenth standard preparing 3D printers, or running Vedic Mathematics App and students from across the world learning from it. I was surprised to meet two sisters Nandita and Nivedita. There is a section in our country which opposes such things. But they have found their students all over the world. They themselves are students, but have become gurus. You see, they made full use of technology and were not afraid of technology. Similarly, I saw some sculptures and paintings which were visionary. It means that the National Education Policy is giving a lot of opportunities for personality development. In this context, I would tell you that if you follow the National Education Policy closely and try to implement it, there will be multiple benefits. I request teachers, academics and schools across the country to develop new ways to implement it. If there are more methods, there will be more opportunities. I wish you all the best.

Presenter: Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir, now we are absolutely confident that the National Education Policy will redefine the meaning of education for us and our future is brilliant. We will flourish if we play. Hon’ble Sir, Roshni of Rajkiya Kanya Inter College in the industrial town of Ghaziabad seeks respected Prime Minister’s help and guidance on certain issues. Roshni, please ask your question.

Roshni: Namaskar, Sir! Hon’ble Prime Minister, My name is Roshni and I am a student of class 11th in Government Girls Inter College Vijay Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Sir, my question is whether students are afraid of exams or their parents and teachers? Should we take exams very seriously like our parents or teachers expect from us or just enjoy them like festivals? Please guide us, thanks.

Presenter: Thank you, Roshni. Kiranpreet, a class X student from Bathinda in Punjab, a prosperous state located in the land of Gurus, the region of five rivers, wants to ask her question on this subject. Kiranpreet, please ask your question.

Kiranpreet: Good morning hon’ble Prime Minister Sir. My name is Kiranpreet Kaur of class 10. I study in in Doon Public Senior Secondary School, Kalyan Sukha, Bathinda, Punjab. Sir, my question to you is how do I deal with my family’s disappointment if my results are not good. I don't have negativity against my parents because I know they need more reassurances than I do. Thank you, Sir. Please guide me.

Presenter: Thank You, Kiranpreet. Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir.  Like many of us, Roshni and Kiranpreet also find it a challenge to deal with the expectation of their parents and teachers. We look forward to your advice. Hon’ble Sir.

Prime Minister: Roshni, what is the reason that when you asked this question, there was maximum applause? I think you have not asked the question for the students, but cleverly for the parents and the teachers. And I think you also want me to tell something to the parents and teachers of everybody from here so that it can be useful to all. It means that there is pressure on you from your teachers and parents and you are confused whether you should follow yourself or them. I would like to urge the parents and teachers not to impose your unfulfilled dreams during your childhood on the children. In a way, you try to inject your own dreams and expectations in your children. The child respects you and gives a lot of importance to the words of the parents. On the other hand, the teacher encourages him to do according to the tradition of the school. It is a matter of great concern for the child who has to go through confusion and contradictory signs. In the olden days, the teachers were in contact with the family. The teachers knew everyone in the family and they were also familiar with what the family thought of their children. Parents were aware of the ways of the teachers. In a way, everyone used to be on the same platform as far as education was concerned whether in school or at home. What happens now? Parents do not have time to find out what the child does throughout the day and teachers are more concerned about completing the syllabus. They teach well, but they think that their responsibility is to complete the syllabus. But the child has different plans. Therefore, as long as the parents and teachers don’t observe the child’s strengths and weaknesses, his interests and his tendencies, his expectations and his aspirations closely and not try to understand him and push him unnecessarily, he stumbles somehow. Therefore, I, on behalf of Roshni, would like to tell all the parents and teachers to avoid burdening the child with your hopes and expectations. Every parent will have to accept that the child may not fit in as per your expectations, but God has sent him with special powers. It is your fault that you do not recognize his potential. It is your fault that you are not being able to understand their dreams and as a result, it creates a distance between you and your children.  And I don’t advise the children not to pay heed to their parents or teachers. This is not the right advice. You have to listen to them and try to understand what they say. But we should accept those things which we can adopt easily. See, the land also seems lifeless. If you sow a seed, perhaps nothing will come out of it, but if you sow another seed on the same land, it may sprout and turn into a big banyan tree. It all depends on the seed and not the land. Therefore, you know what you can adopt easily and can move ahead. Put all your efforts in that direction and you will never feel burdened. You may have problems initially, but the family will start taking pride in it later. The parents will also realize that their child has done really well and made their name. They will praise you when they sit among four people. Until yesterday who did not recognize your strength will start praising your potential. And thus, if you move ahead happily and enthusiastically, fulfilling minimum requirements and adding more to your potential, you will benefit a lot.

Presenter: Respected Prime Minister, you have given new impetus to the interests and aspirations of the children amidst the hopes and expectations of their parents and teachers. Thank you very much. Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir! From the culturally rich city of Delhi, Vaibhav, a class 10th student of Kendriya Vidyalaya Janakpuri, earnestly seeks your counsel regarding his problem. Vaibhav, please ask your question.

Vaibhav: Namaskar, Prime Minister. My name is Vaibhav Kanojia. I am a student of class 10th. I study in Kendriya Vidyalaya Janakpuri. Sir, I have a question -- how to stay motivated and succeed when we have so much backlog of curriculum?

Presenter: Thank you, Vaibhav. Hon’ble Prime Minister, not only children, our parents also want you to solve their problems. Sujit Kumar Pradhan ji, who is a parent from Jharsuguda, Odisha, expects guidance from you in this matter. Mr. Sujit Pradhan ji, please ask your question.

Sujit Pradhan: Namaskar, Prime Minister. My name is Sujit Kumar Pradhan. My question is how to motivate children to complete their curriculum? Thank you.

Presenter: Thank you, Sir. Hon’ble Prime Minister, Komal Sharma, a student of class 12th from Jaipur, Rajasthan, rich in architecture and painting, wants you to solve her problem. Komal, please ask your question.

Komal: Namaskar, hon’ble Prime Minister. Sir, my name is Komal Sharma. I am a class 12 student of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Bagru, Jaipur. My question to you is how to console my classmate who did not do well in one paper?

Presenter: Thanks, Komal. Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir! Aron Eben, a class 10th student of Qatar, is overwhelmed by a similar problem. Aron, please go ahead and ask your question.

Aron: Namaste Sir. Greetings from M.E.S. Indian School, Doha, Qatar! My name is Aron Eben of class 10th. My question to the hon’ble Prime Minister of India is how to stop myself from procrastinating and how to keep away my exam fears and the sense of lack of preparation.

Presenter: Thank you, Aron.  Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir, Vaibhav, Mr. Pradhan ji, Komal and Aron are eager to gain from your wisdom on how to handle the problem of lack of motivation and how to remain committed to academics. Also, many other students from all over India want to know how to ensure that they participate equally in extracurricular activities so as to be well-integrated individuals. Kindly guide all of us, Sir.

Prime Minister: It will be a big mistake if somebody thinks that there is any injection for motivation and if they inject it then there will be no issue of motivation. Try to observe yourself and find out the things which de-motivate you. After observing for a day, week or a month, you will realize what is difficult for you. It is very necessary to understand yourself. Similarly, you try to identify things that motivate you. Suppose you heard a very good song and are impressed by its music and lyrics. You feel it can also be a way of thinking. After that, you start thinking afresh. Nobody told you, but you prepared yourself. You identified the thing which motivates you and then you will feel like doing that. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze yourself. Don’t look for somebody else’s help. Don’t tell somebody repeatedly that your mood is not good or you are not enjoying. What will happen is that a weakness will develop in you and you will try to gain sympathy. You will expect the same sympathy, encouragement from your mother. Ultimately, that weakness will develop in you gradually. You may have some good moments, but never ever try to gain sympathy. Don't ever! You should have this trust in yourself that you will fight your problems and despair in your life yourself and will bury all your melancholy and apathy in the grave. Secondly, we draw inspiration by observing some things. For example, you have a two or three-year-old child in your family and he wants something, but finds it difficult to reach there. You notice him from a distance. He will try, will stumble, will get up again and try again. In fact, he is teaching you that it may be difficult for him to reach there, but he will not stop in his efforts. Did anybody teach this motivation to him in school? Did any Prime Minister explain to that two-year-old child? Did anybody tell him to stand up again and run? No! God has given an inherent quality to all of us, which becomes the driving force for us to do something or the other. You must have noticed a Divyang person who finds his own ways for his day-to-day activities and does extremely well. Did we minutely observe him that despite so many deficiencies in his body, he did not give up and turned his shortcomings to his strengths. You will also draw inspiration if you observe him. We should try to observe our surroundings in a positive way and overlook his weaknesses. We should observe minutely how he has overcome his shortcomings. You then co-relate yourself with him and will find that God has made you an able-bodied person, so why should you be downcast. Secondly, do you ever take your own exams? You should take your exam yourself. Why should someone take your exam? I have written somewhere in my book ‘Exam Warriors’ that you should sometimes write a letter to Exam. “Hi, Dear Exam, I have made this much preparation, I have made so many notes, sat with my teacher for several hours, spent this much time with my mother and have learned so much from my neighboring student. Who are you to challenge me and take my exam? I will take your exam. Let’s see who overpowers whom.”  Do it sometimes. Sometimes, you feel that what you are thinking is wrong. You do this. Develop a habit of replaying once. If you do so, you will get a new vision. For example, you have learned something in your classroom. Later, sit along with your three-four friends and explain to them what you learned in the class. The same process should be repeated by your friends. Each and everybody will share what he learned in the class. Then all of you will realize that we missed out on one point, but one of your friends grasped it. When all of you will replay the class without any books and through discussions, you will be able to memorize it automatically. You must have noticed this. When any big incident happens, then TV journalists thrust the mike in front of a political leader and he tries to avoid them. Some people need to be prompted. On the other hand, there is an accident and TV journalists ask for a reaction from a village woman. She doesn’t even know about TV. But you see, she narrates the entire incident confidently. How? Because, she absorbed everything that she saw and was able to replay the entire incident. Therefore, I believe that if you engage yourself with an open mind, disappointments can never knock on your door.

Presenter – Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir, Thank You for giving us the mantra to think, observe and believe. Howsoever tall the summit, we assure you that we will never give up. Hon'ble Prime Minister, Anusha Yadav from Khammam, Telangana, who is a student of class 12th, famous for her art, culture and traditions, wants you to answer her question. Anusha, please ask your question.

Anusha - Hon'ble Prime Minister, Namaskar. My name is Anusha. I study in class 12th in Government Junior College. I am from Khammam, Telangana. Sir, my question to you is - when teachers teach us, we understand the concept at that time. But after some time or a few days, we forget it. Please help me regarding this. Thanks, sir.

Presenter – Thanks, Anusha. Sir, we have received another query through the NaMo App. The questioner Gayatri Saxena wants to know, that often while writing the exam in the examination hall, she forgets the topics she had studied and memorized. However, while talking to her peers before or after the exam, she has the right answers in mind. What should be done to deal with such a situation? Sir, questions like these asked by Anusha and Gayatri Saxena related to memory power are also bothering several others. Kindly guide them in this direction, Hon’ble Prime Minister sir.

Prime Minister - Perhaps this becomes a problem for every student at some point or the other. Everyone feels like they are unable to recall or have forgotten a concept. But sometimes out of nowhere, these concepts start flowing out of your minds at the time of exams. After the exam, you would wonder - 'I had never touched this subject recently, yet I wrote a pretty good answer to this unexpected question. It means it was stored somewhere. You didn't even realize it, but the answer was stored inside your mind. And it was stored because the doors of the cupboard (mind) were open when the concepts were being filled. If the cupboard was closed, no matter how much you tried, nothing would have gone inside. Sometimes the word 'Dhyana' is associated with Yoga, Meditation, Himalaya, Rishi-Muni. I have a very simple understanding; 'dhyana' means 'focus'. If you are here but are thinking about whether Mom is watching TV at home right now, it means you are not present here at the moment. You are at home. Your mind is occupied with the thoughts of whether Mom is watching TV or not; Is she able to see me or not? Your attention should have been here but your attention is there, which means you are focus-less. If you are here, you are focused. If you are there then you are not focused. So, embrace focus and concentration with ease in life. This is not rocket science; you don't have to go and sit in the Himalayas holding your nose to embrace it. It is very simple. Just try to live that moment. If you live that moment to the fullest, it becomes your power.

You must have seen several people drinking tea in the morning and reading newspapers simultaneously. Suddenly family members would say- the water is heated, quickly go and take a bath. But the person says- ‘No, I want to read the newspaper’. Then they would say - the breakfast is hot, finish it before it turns cold. Yet the person would say – ‘No, I want to read the newspaper’. But go and ask these people in the evening about what they had read in the newspaper that day. I can certainly say that 99% of the time they would not be able to answer what the day's headline was in the newspaper. It is because the person is neither focused nor living that moment. He is merely turning the pages just like a habit. His eyes are reading things but nothing is getting registered. And if nothing is getting registered, then nothing is going to the memory chip. Therefore, the foremost requirement for you is to do everything by being present in the moment. And I believe that the greatest gift of God to this creation if someone asks me, is the gift of 'present'. The future is never a question mark for the one who is able to know this present, live this present and imbibe this present. And the reason for lack of memory is ‘not living in that moment. And because of that, we lose memory.

Secondly, memory is related to life. If you think that it is important only for the exam, then you do not understand its value at all. Suppose, you remember the birthday of your friend and call him on his birthday; you had that memory because of which you remembered his birthday. But that memory becomes the reason for making your life broad-based when that friend gets the call because he would be thinking - 'oh wow! He remembered my birthday. That means I have importance in his life. He becomes your friend for life. What was the reason for that? It was your memory. Memory is a major catalytic agent of growth in life. And that's why we should not limit our memory only to examinations, questions and answers. You go on expanding it. The more you expand, the more things will automatically keep adding up.

Here's another example. Take two utensils. Fill water in both the utensils and place a coin each inside both. The water is pure and clean. In both cases, there is the same type of water, the same type of vessels with the same type of coin. But one of the vessels is shaking. So, the water is also moving here and there. The other vessel is stationary. There is a coin at the bottom of each vessel. You will see that the coin with still water looks perfect to you; even the thing written on it can be easily read. But the coin in the water which is moving is not properly visible despite being of the same size and depth as the former. What is the reason? It is because the water is moving. The vessel is shaking. If the mind keeps on moving like this and we expect to see the 'coin', that is not going to happen. You must have seen that the problem you face in the exam hall is that you keep on thinking about the person sitting next to you. 'He is not even looking up; he keeps on writing; now I will be left behind…' That is, the mind is focused on these things. Your mind is making so much commotion that you fail to see the 'memory' which is the 'coin' inside your vessel. For once, try to stabilize the mind. If you are facing a problem in stabilizing the mind, then try deep breathing. Take deep breaths three to four times. Sit straight, close your eyes and stay still for a while. As soon as the mind becomes stable, it starts looking for the coin. Everything inside your memory starts resurfacing gradually. And it is not that God has given some extra energy to the one with better memory. The internal product of all of us has been created by God in the best possible way. It depends on what exactly we are reducing or increasing. So, you can do this very easily.

For those of you who know the old scriptures; a few things are also available on YouTube. There are some centenarians who could remember a hundred things at once. Sometimes these things used to be a great trend in our country. So, you can trend it too. But I am not going to take you in that direction today as you have exams around the corner but I would say - keep your mind steady. You already know the things; these will start flowing out of your mind automatically; you will start remembering them and that will become a huge strength for you.

Presenter - Hon'ble Prime Minister, the loving simplicity with which you taught us the method of 'focusing', certainly everyone's mind has been enlightened like mine. Thanks, sir. Hon’ble Prime Minister, a class 10th student Shweta Kumari from a state rich in mineral resources and a beautiful tourist destination, Ramgarh, Jharkhand, wants you to answer her question. Shweta, please ask your question.

Shweta - Hon'ble Prime Minister, Namaskar. I am a class 10th student of Kendriya Vidyalaya Patratu, Shweta Kumari. I want to ask you a question. Productivity in my studies is the highest during the night but everyone asks me to study during the day. What should I do? Thank you.

Presenter - Thanks Shweta. Respected Prime Minister, as per the Question received through the NaMo App, Raghav Joshi has a strange dilemma. Parents always ask him to study first and then play sports. But for him studying after playing helps him understand things better. Please explain to Raghav and Shweta as well as many students like them what they should do so that their productivity is the best. Kindly solve our dilemma, Hon'ble Prime Minister sir.

Prime Minister - It is true that everyone wants their time to be utilized properly. One should get the highest benefit from the work for which he/she has devoted the time and this is a great thought. And it is necessary to always try to see consciously whether we are getting the results out of the time we are spending or not. The output will be visible but the outcome will not be visible. Therefore, first of all, one should inculcate a habit to measure the outcome received for the time invested. Now we can calculate it and we should inculcate this habit. Ask yourself; today I have spent an hour on mathematics. So, was I able to complete what I was supposed to in that one hour? Am I comfortable with the questions I used to find difficult or not? That means my outcome is improving. We should make a habit of doing these analyses. Very few people get used to analyses. They keep on completing things one after the other; they go on doing it and later realize that some other topic needed more attention and the completed topic didn't need much attention. Sometimes what happens is, that we keep coming back to those topics in our own timetable that are the simplest and most favourite. We feel like doing that topic as it is more fun. As a result, we try to avoid the less favourite ones or a bit difficult ones.

I might not be putting it in the right way but for the sake of simplicity, let me explain it to you like this. Sometimes I feel like my body is a cheater. You decide how you want to sit. You won't even realize how your posture changes after a while. It means your body is cheating on you. You have decided with your mind that you want to sit in one particular way but after a short while, your body becomes loose. The body gets moulded to its original posture. Then you would try to change your posture again but it would return to its original form again. This means, that just as this body is a cheater, the mind also cheats in a similar way. So we should try to avoid this cheating. Our minds should not become a cheater. How do we fall for the things that our mind likes? Mahatma Gandhi used to talk about Shreya (what must be done) and Priya (what is liked by us). One tends to incline towards the 'Priya' instead of the 'Shreyaskar'. We should stick to 'Shreyaskar'. It is extremely important. And if the mind tries to cheat by going in the opposite direction then drag it back. That will raise your productivity and your outcome. So, efforts should be made for the same.

Secondly, some people say that it is good to study at night; some say that it is good to study in the morning; some say eating and studying is better whereas some say that studying on an empty stomach is better. It depends from person to person. It is an individual's nature. You observe yourself and decide what are you comfortable with. You should be comfortable. If you're not comfortable with an area, sitting posture etc, you probably won't be able to do the task. There are some people who are able to sleep only in a particular setting. I still remember the movie I had watched several years ago. In one of the scenes, a person spends his life near a slum and then suddenly moves to live in a better place. He gets lucky but is unable to sleep. He starts wondering why he couldn't sleep. Then he goes to the railway station, records the sound of the train moving on track and brings it home. He plays the recording and that is when he gets some sleep. That was his comfort. Now it doesn't happen to everyone. Not everyone needs to hear the sound of the train to get sleep but he felt that need. It was his comfort.

Don't take any stress at all. You need minimum adjustments for the things you enjoy doing. There is no need to leave that path, but even in that comfortable state, your task is to study. You should work on the maximum outcome. There is no turning away from it at all. And I've seen how people are. Sometimes we hear that a person works for 12 hours, 14 hours, or 18 hours… It sounds good to the ears. But actually working 18 hours a day is something big and I received a very important lesson in my life. When I was in Gujarat, there used to be a great scholar named Keka Shastri Ji. He himself had studied only up to the fifth or seventh standard, but he had written myriad books and was also honoured with the Padma Award. He lived for 103 years and when I was there, I had organized an official government programme for his centenary. I had a very close relationship with him; he used to have a great affection for me. Several years back, when I was not even the Chief Minister, we made a programme to take him to the pilgrimage centres of Rajasthan. So I took him there. We were all in a vehicle. I noticed that he had very little luggage. Even in that luggage, he mostly had things to read and write. Whenever a railway crossing arrived, we had to stop. The door would not open until the train passed. We could not move. Now, what do we do at that time? Normally we either get down and walk around or have snacks. That is how we spend our time. But he would pull out a paper from his bag and start writing immediately. At that time, his age was almost 80. That is how we utilize our time. That is called an outcome. I was watching him so closely. And during the pilgrimage, he was relaxing, walking, roaming around and looking around. Everything else was kept aside. So, keep on doing your work under any circumstances. I think it is extremely necessary. There is much to be gained from this in life.

Presenter – Hon’ble Sir, Thank You for making us understand the importance of self-analysis and that we should learn joyfully for rising to excellence. Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir, Erica George, a student of class 9th from the beautiful lush green land with eucalyptus forest i.e. Udhampur, Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, seeks your guidance. Erica, please ask your question.

Erica George- Honorable Prime Minister Sir, I am Erica George, 9th standard student, from APS Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir. Sir the question that I want to ask is, nowadays there is a lot of competition, especially in academic fields in a country like India. In this case, there are a lot of people who are really very talented and knowledgeable. But due to some reason, they could not appear for the exams. Maybe they could not choose the right path or maybe they did not have the proper counselling. So Sir, in this case, what can we do for these people, so that their talent doesn't go to waste and instead can be utilized in a fruitful manner? Thank You, Sir.

Presenter - Thank You, Erica, Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir, Hariom Mishra, a class 12th student from industrial hub Gautam Buddha Nagar is preparing for his board exams and wishes to ask a similar question that has been invited by a competition organized by Zee TV. Hariom Please ask your question.

Hariom – Namaskar, my name is Hariom Mishra and I am a student in the 12th class from Cambridge School Noida. My question to the Prime Minister today is that a lot of changes have been brought in the admission process in the college this year and this year a lot of changes have been brought in the pattern of the board examination. So in the midst of all these changes, should we students focus on the board examination or on the process of college admission? What should we do, and how should we prepare ourselves?

Presenter – Thank You Hariom. Honourable Prime Minister Sir, Just like Erica and Hari Om, many students from different parts of the country have expressed their anxiety and concern about whether to focus on studies, competitive exams, board exam preparation or college admissions. We all seek your guidance Honorable Prime Minister Sir.

Prime Minister - Well there are two different types of questions. One subject is related to competition while the other is regarding which exam to appear for and if there are two exams at the same time then what should a student do? I do not believe that you should 'study' for the exam. That's where the mistake lies. 'I will study for this exam, then I will study for that exam', which means you are not studying, you are looking for a panacea to make your work easier. And probably that's why each exam appears different and difficult. But the fact is that whatever we are studying, if we completely assimilate it, then whether it is a board exam or an entrance exam or an interview or an exam for a job, it will not be a problem for you. If you have fully understood and imbibed your knowledge, then whatever the form of the exam is, nothing would become a hindrance. So instead of wasting your time preparing for an exam, put your efforts into making yourself a qualified and educated person; work hard to become a master of the subject. Don't worry about the result. Now you must have seen a player. A player is well versed in the game. He is not putting the effort just for a particular level of the game to be played. When he plays at the Tehsil level, he will show his feat there, When he plays at the district level, he will show his feat there, When he plays at the National level, he will show his feat there and when he plays at the International level, he will show his feat there. And he will continue to evolve himself. That's why I believe that we should come out of the cycle of taking different 'pills' for different exams. Instead, go with the attitude of 'I am going to take the exam with whatever knowledge I have. If I pass the exam then nothing like it; if not, I will find some other way'. So I believe this should be the attitude.

Secondly, friends, we should consider ‘Competition’ to be the greatest gift of life. If there is no competition, then what is life for? Then we will be complacent with life. There won't be anything else, just us. It should not be the case. To be honest, we should invite the competition. That is when we are tested. I would say that even if it is a holiday, there is nothing to study, there are no exams, yet the brothers and sisters must sit and compete. The competition can be about eating. If you eat four chapatis, I will eat five; if you can eat five, I will eat six. Get into a competitive mode. We should invite competition in life. Competition is a good way to move forward in life, which helps us to develop ourselves.

Then, the generation I belong to or the generation my parents belong to, did not have the things that you have now. You are the lucky generation. None of the previous generations was as lucky as you. If the competition is high, the choice is also more; opportunities are countless. There were not so many opportunities previously. Let's say there are two farmers. Both of them have two acres of land. But the first farmer is happy making a living by cultivating sugarcane. He is surviving with that. Whereas the other farmer says - a no-no, I will sow different crops in the three different parts of the land. I did that last year, so this time I will do this differently. You will see that the one who is surviving while sitting comfortably on his two acres of land, life comes to a standstill. One who takes risks, tries out different experiments, undertakes new things and adds new things goes so far that he becomes unstoppable in life. The same is true in our lives. We should be proud that we are proving ourselves in the midst of so much competition and we have several choices. If not this competition then there is some other competition, if not that competition then there is the third one. If something is not working out, then there is another alternative. I think we should consider it as an opportunity. And if you have the attitude of 'I will not miss this opportunity; I will never let go of this opportunity, I am sure that you will embrace the competition as the biggest gift of this era.

Presenter - Hon'ble Prime Minister, you have inspired us to imbibe knowledge that can lead to success in life. Thank you Respected Prime Minister. Ms Seema Chintan Desai, a parent from Navsari Gujarat, would like to place a question before you. Madam, please go ahead.

Seema Chintan Desai - Jai Shri Ram, Prime Minister Modi Ji, Namaste. I am Seema Chintan Desai from Navsari, a parent. Sir, you are the icon of so many youngsters and the reason is that - You don't just speak, you show it by putting your words into action. Sir, I have a question. There are various schemes going on for the girls of rural areas in Indian households. How can our society contribute to its progress? Kindly provide your guidance. Thank you.

Presenter - Thank you, madam. Sir, Seema Chintan Desai Ji is concerned about the education of the girls in rural areas and wants to know about your views in this direction, Hon'ble Prime Minister.

Prime Minister - Well I believe the situation has changed a lot. In earlier times when it came to education, parents felt that their sons should be educated. With their limited resources, they used to think that if the son received an education, he could earn something for the family. Sometimes some parents also used to say - 'why get the daughter educated? She wouldn't be doing any job. She would go to her in-laws' house and live her life. There was a period when this mentality was prevalent. Probably even today in some villages, this kind of mentality would have survived somewhere, but by and large today the conditions have changed and if the society lags behind in knowing the capability of the daughters, then that society can never progress. Sometimes you must have seen such families, where it would be said that a brother, a son must be there so that they could provide the required support in old age. A daughter, on the other hand, would go to her in-laws' house. What is the use? There is still such a mind-set that exists in our society. History has experienced these things. Now I look at these things very closely. I have seen many such daughters who did not marry as they were concerned about the old age of their parents and spent their lives in the service of their parents. Daughters have done what the sons couldn't do. And I have also seen such families that have four sons in the house; the four sons have four bungalows. They have a life full of happiness and peace; they have never known any sorrow. But the parents are living their lives in an old age home. I have also seen such sons. That's why the foremost thing to remember is that sons and daughters are equal within society. There is no discrimination. This is the necessity of today's era and the necessity of every era. And there have been some distortions in India. There must have been some reasons for the same. But this country can feel proud. If we talk of governance, there was a time the name of Ahilya Devi would come to mind as the Best Governance. When it came to bravery, the name of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi used to come to mind. They were our daughters! That is, no era will be like this and here, daughters have shown us the store of scholarly knowledge in them. Firstly, we have our own mind-set. Secondly, the situation has changed today. Today, you will see that the number of daughters who are joining the schools is more than that of the sons. This is the fresh statistics. Today, the daughters have aspirations. They have the passion to do something. Perhaps any Indian should be proud of it. So, we should give them opportunities and institutionalize the opportunity. Not that just a single-family is doing it in its own way. Today, be it any type of sport; the daughters of India are bringing accolades to the nation everywhere. Look at the field of science. Of all the major achievements in science, more than half of it has come from our daughters. They have done something or the other in the field of science. Now, look at the results of the 10th-12th class. Daughters score higher than sons. The number of girls passing out is more. So today, a daughter has become a major asset for every family. She has become a huge power in the family and this change is good. The greater this change, the more beneficial it will be. Now you see, the questioner belongs to Gujarat. There is a strong Panchayati Raj system in Gujarat. 50 per cent of the elected candidates are sisters. There is 50 per cent in law and order. But actually, after the election, the number of women elected is sometimes 53 per cent - 54 per cent and even 55 per cent. That is, although she wins from her reserve seat, sometimes the percentage goes up to 55 per cent by winning from the general seat as well while the men come down to 45 per cent. This means that the faith of the society has also increased in the mothers and sisters. That is why they are chosen as a public representative. Today as we are celebrating the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the Parliament of India has the highest number of women MPs of the period to date. And it is also being seen that in the villages, people like to choose the educated daughters more as their representatives. If there is a fifth class passed sister, then people would choose the 7th class passed; if she is eleventh class passed, people would elect her as the representative. That is, the sense of respect for education is visible at every level of society as well. Today you look at the education field. Perhaps there is a possibility of demand coming from men at some point or the other. I am not showing any way to anyone. But there could be a possibility of men carrying out processions demanding a percentage of reservation for teaching jobs because most of the teachers today are our mothers and sisters. A similar trend is visible in the nursing sector. It demands the spirit of service and motherhood. India's nursing field is increasing India's pride around the world. Even in the field of policing today our daughters are coming forward in huge numbers. Now we have daughters in NCC, Sainik Schools, the Army and in every sphere of life. And all these things are getting institutionalized. I urge society to not differentiate between sons and daughters. Give equal opportunities to both. And I say, perhaps with equal investment and opportunity, the daughters might as well be one step ahead of the sons.

Presenter: Hon'ble Prime Minister, daughters are the glory of a home, society and nation. Their aspirations have got new wings by your inspiration, thank you. Hon'ble Prime Minister Sir, we are privileged and blessed to have received first-hand insight and inspiration from you today. Keeping in mind your valuable time I now invite the two final questions. Dumpala Pavitra Rao a class twelve student from Kendriya Vidyalaya Sector-8, R.K. Puram, New Delhi is curious to know the answer to her question. Pavitra Rao, kindly ask your question.

Pavitra Rao: Namaskar Prime Minister sir, I am Pavitra Rao, a student of class 12th from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector-8, R.K Puram, New Delhi. Hon'ble Prime Minister, as India is moving forward on the path of progress, what other steps should our new generation take to maintain it? With your guidance, India has become clean; but what should the next generation contribute to its environmental protection? Please guide, thank you, sir.

Presenter: Thank you Pavitra. Sir, Chaitanya Lele, a student of class 11th from New Delhi would like you to answer another similar question arising in his mind. Chaitanya, please ask your question.

Chaitanya: Pranam, Hon'ble Prime Minister sir. My name is Chaitanya. I am a class 11th student of DAV school. My question to you is how can we make our environment cleaner and better? Thank you.

Presenter: Thank you Chaitanya. Hon'ble Prime Minister Sir, the youth of India just like Pavitra & Chaitanya want to breathe in a clean & Green India, a dream close to your heart. We all wish to know how to keep India & our environment pristine and perfect in every sense of the word. We all look forward to your guidance, Sir.

Prime Minister: Well this topic is not related to the discussion on examination. But just like a good environment is needed for exams, the earth also needs a good environment. And we are the people who consider the earth as our mother. First of all, I would like to thank the children of our country from the bottom of my heart for giving me the opportunity today. When I had become the Prime Minister for the first time, on 15th August, I had spoken from the ramparts of Red Fort. After my speech, most of the people had raised several questions. Modi Ji has said it but is it even possible? At that time, I had talked about cleanliness. It was also a bit surprising for the people that the Prime Minister of the country who should have talked about space, foreign policy or military power was talking about cleanliness? Many were surprised. But the ones who have proven all the doubts & apprehensions to be wrong and have made my idea of cleanliness a success are the boys and girls of my country! Wherever we have reached today in this journey of cleanliness; I would like to give the maximum credit to the boys and girls of my country for it. I have heard hundreds of such instances where 5 or 6-year-old children have interrupted their grandparents 10 times a day saying - 'Modi Ji has asked not to throw it here. Don't throw it here. Modi Ji will not like it. This is massive power, and probably being from the same generation, you have asked the question in the same spirit. I welcome your question. It is true that today the whole world is very upset about the environment due to global warming. And the root cause of this problem is the misuse of our resources. We have ruined the arrangements God has given us. If today I am drinking water, or if I have access to water; if I am able to see a river somewhere; if I am standing under the shade of some tree; I have no contribution to that. This is what my ancestors had left for me. My ancestors have given me the things I am consuming today. Shouldn't I too leave something for the future generations or not? If I don't save, what will I give them? So, just as our ancestors have given us, we too must fulfil our responsibility by accepting the responsibility of giving it to our next generation. This is our duty. Now, this cannot be successful by just a government programme alone. Suppose I say that 'single-use plastic' should be avoided. We agree and discuss this in our family that single-use plastic should be avoided. Then a wedding card arrives at home. It has a very beautiful plastic wrapper on it. We take it out and throw it away. Now, this action is the opposite of what we were discussing. So how can we inculcate it in our daily habits? If you decide that at least in your family, single-use plastic will not be allowed at any cost in your house; this is how we are helping out the environment. And if all the children of the country start following this, then nothing like it. You must have seen that I was organizing a cattle health fair in Gujarat. When I was the Chief Minister and used to organize animal health fairs, I used to get the dental treatment of animals done in Gujarat. Some animals used to have cataracts and were treated. Some animals had to be operated on. So I saw a cow that had at least 40 Kg of plastic in its stomach. Now, this is an act against humanity. This feeling should arise in us. Normally it feels good to carry a light plastic bag which is then thrown away. We now have to escape from that 'use and throw' culture and embrace 'reuse, recycle. And this is not something new in India; we have had this habit in the family for years. The more resources we use the more damage it will cause to the environment. On the other hand, the more optimum utilization of the resources is made, the better we will protect the environment. Look at our electronic gadgets today; they are also becoming a problem for the environment. You must have seen that the Indian government has just rolled out the scrapping policy to end the old vehicles which create pollution. One can earn some money from it and then get a new car. A lot of work is going to be done in that direction as well. In the same way, we know the importance of water, plants and nature. Are we sensitive to it? To imbibe this spirit of sensitivity towards the environment, this should become our true nature. You must have seen that in COP-26 I had put forth a topic. There was a conference in the UK. I had said that lifestyle is a problem and that 'mission life' was required. And I had coined the term there for 'mission life' which is 'Lifestyle for Environment. If we are young, there is a four-storey house building, then why use a lift? Let's try to use stairs. It will benefit both our health and the environment. We should try to bring these small changes into our lives. And that's why I had said that we need to run the P-3 movement around the world- Pro-Planet-People. If more and more people join this P-3 movement and try to make conscious efforts in this direction, then I believe we will be able to bring changes. Secondly, the country is celebrating the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', 75 years of independence. The present generation has 25 years till the country celebrates its centenary. That is, you have 25 years of your life. It is for you. What should be your contribution in these 25 years so that our country reaches that place where we can proudly celebrate the centenary of the country by keeping our heads high in front of the world? We must dedicate our lives to it. And a simple way out of this is to emphasize on duty. If I fulfil my duties, I am protecting someone's rights. It means the person will never need to go out demanding his rights. The problem today is, that we do not perform our duties. That is why someone is fighting to protect his rights. No one should fight for his/her rights in our country. This is our duty and we can fulfil the duties by complying with our duties. If we perform the duties, we fulfil the responsibilities that we have. Now see, people around the world discuss these things going on in our country. Some people are afraid that Modi will take credit for good initiatives; Modi will be hailed; so they hesitate a bit. But during the vaccination programme for school children, the speed with which children in our country took the vaccine is really commendable. Those of you, who have been vaccinated, raise your hands. Has everyone been vaccinated? No one around the world can dare to ask such questions. The children of India have also shown this. It means, we have performed our duty. Performing this duty has become the reason for India's pride. Similarly, if our country is to progress, if we want to protect nature and our environment, then we must fulfil our duties consciously. If we do that, I am sure we can get the desired results.

Presenter: Pariksha Pe Charcha 2022 by the Prime Minister has transformed the stress and discomfort of crores of children, teachers and parents like us into a wave of enthusiasm, hope and hankering for success. We are extremely grateful, Honourable Prime Minister! We are extremely grateful for your golden speech. This brings us to the end of this splendid morning of inspiration and encouragement of moments that will forever stay in our reminisces. We express our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to Hon'ble Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi Ji for having spared his valuable time to be here with us and for inspiring us with his magnetic persona. Thank you so much, sir.

Prime Minister: All of you, announcers, kindly come here, call everyone. Some of you can be here and some there. Look, first of all, today, I want to congratulate these people. All of them have conducted everything in such a wonderful way. There was no lack of confidence anywhere. You too must have also observed closely. I too was observing. You all have the same talent. Everyone sitting here has that ability. I would say that if we really want to experience joy in life, then we should try to develop a specific quality in ourselves. If you develop that quality, then you will always be happy and that is to become an appreciator of virtues. If we see some quality or virtue in a person, we must appreciate that. It gives strength not only to the person but also to us. It becomes our habit to observe the good things wherever we look. We should try to accept it, mould ourselves into it, innovate and connect to it. If we allow jealousy to grow within us; for example, "oh no! He is ahead of me; his kurta is better than mine; there is such a nice atmosphere in his family; he doesn't have any problems." If we have this kind of attitude and mind-set, then gradually we keep on belittling ourselves. We can never become big. If we develop the ability to understand the capabilities of others, to know the strengths of others, then that power to mould those characteristics into ourselves will start developing automatically. And so to be successful in your lives, I would urge all of you to be inclined toward those who are talented, good and capable wherever you get a chance in life. One should have a big heart to know, understand and accept them. There will never be a feeling of jealousy; there will never be a feeling of vengeance in our minds. We too will be able to live a life of great joy and happiness. With this one expectation, I once again congratulate all of you! I congratulate all the students and I now congratulate the education department. What a wonderful programme was planned by you all and I have got the opportunity to meet all the youngsters. Some people wonder why Modi Ji discusses the examination on Pareeksha Pe Charcha. It is just an exam. The teacher must have explained a lot to you. I don't know whether it is beneficial or not but I benefit a lot from this programme. When I am with you, I feel 50 years younger and I try to grow myself by learning something from you. I mean I belong to the same old generation but I always try to understand your mind by connecting with you. I try to understand your hopes and aspirations and mould my life into them. And that's why this programme is beneficial to me; it increases my strength & capabilities and that's why I come and interact with you. I am extremely grateful to you for giving me your time, for letting me grow with this experience, and for helping me learn something.

Thank you very much.

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

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