Chant These 5 Modi Mantras in 'Testing Times' | 'Pariksha Pe Charcha 2023' Summary

From focus, digital fasting, differentiating between criticism and blame, to realising that exam is not the end of life and believing in your potential – Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave life lessons that could help students and guardians alike to move ahead with calm in the age of rapid technology and increased competition.

The PM also urged parents and teachers not to burden students with aspirations attached to social status.

The sixth edition of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha 2023’ was held at the Talkatora Stadium in the national capital on Friday. In a first, it saw representation from all states.

A look at the five key messages:

1. Don’t be suppressed by pressure, stay focussed

This was in response to a question asked by a number of students from different regions on how to handle high expectations and family pressure of doing well in exams. The PM said the expectations are fine unless they are based on social status of the parents in terms of how other children in their society are doing in comparison to their own. He also urged students to stay focussed and not underestimate their own potential and not to get suppressed by pressure.

2. Differentiate between criticism and blame

When asked how he handles criticism and negativity from his opponents in public life, the PM said that most people in the Opposition start with blaming, which is different from criticism. “I believe that constructive criticism requires a lot of preparation, analysis and observation and is fruitful for a successful person or a leader or anyone for that matter. But when it is just blaming a person or a child, it is deconstructive, especially for impressionable minds. I urge both children and parents to learn to differentiate between the two. They must criticise children after careful observation and not small-time blaming on petty issues,” said Modi.

3. Go on ‘digital fasting’

PM Modi asked students not to be enslaved by gadgets, as these devices are not smarter than them. He urged them to not be distracted by technology and allot separate time to use mobile phone or other gadgets for interaction on social media platforms. He asked parents to create a ‘no gadgets zone? in the house where they will not use any kind of technological device and just use the time for conversations, which he termed ‘digital fasting’.

4. To know your potential is half the battle won

Knowing your potential is important and if a student and parents have done so, they just need to work on it. A student during the interaction said that she was “average”, in response to which the PM said that it’s the best thing to know where you stand and not to worry about it. Most successful people in the world were average at some point and they ended up doing extraordinary work just by refining their skills and working on their capabilities. Every person has something different in them, to harness which is important for each one.

5. Exam is not the end of life

A large number of students from across the country asked the PM about anxiety and depression on exam results. He said that one should keep working and not worry about the results, which could be bettered with time and hard work.

“Even then, if one falls short of the desired results, exam is not the end of life, as life is much bigger than that. It doesn’t stop there and has much more to offer to take you to even bigger horizons,” the PM said.

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