‘Compete with yourself’, ‘take inspiration from friends’: PM Modi shares tips to handle pressure at PPC 2024

NEW DELHI: The competition is with ourselves and not others, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing students during Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) 2024 event today. The seventh edition of PPC 2024 was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This year, over 2 crore students registered for the programme.

PM Modi shared strategies and tips on handling peer pressure and societal expectations; role of teachers; importance of physical and mental health; how to build trust; use of technology for students appearing for board exams 2024.

Pariksha Pe Charcha 2024: Major highlights

PM Modi answered questions raised by students and teachers from differents schools across the country.

Societal expectations: We need to prepare ourselves to face challenges, and societal pressure, PM Modi said. The prime minister asked students to analyse the types of pressure and find solutions accordingly. He suggested that students, parents and teachers should work on this together and students should evolve slowly.

Peer pressure: If there are no challenges and competition in life, it will not be motivational, said PM Modi. There should be competition but healthy, he said. The seed of competition is somehow sown in everyday life in the family, the prime minister said and asked parents not to compare their kids. Family members and teachers have to address the exam pressure collectively. There should be conversation in families about how to handle the exam pressure.

In case of competition with friends, PM Modi said the competition is with yourself and not friends. A friend is an inspiration for you, he said. “We should not allow the feelings of jealousy,” he said. The prime minister asked students to find capabilities in their friends and said that the power of two friends will help them grow in life. “We should try to learn from our friends,” PM Modi added.

Role of teachers: The music teacher can help remove stress from the students of the whole school and not just their class students. The relationship between a student and teacher should not be restricted to exams but should grow from the very first day a student enters the class. “The day you will bond with your student more than just syllabus, the student will start sharing their minute issues with you,” PM Modi suggested to the teachers. An year-long relationship with the students. The role of a teacher is not to do a job, but rather to change lives.

How to avoid stress during exams: Some mistakes are made due to over-excitement of parents, PM Modi said and asked parents to let students be at ease on the exam day. The minister also asked students to relax before the exam as well as during the exam. Focus on your exam and be lost in yourselves. Read the question paper once and distribute a rough amount of time for questions in your mind.

PM Modi asked students to practice writing at least three to four times which will help students realize how much time is required to write answers. “Practice of writing is very important, it will make the mind sharp,” he added.

Balance between studies and health: Just like a mobile needs to be recharged, our bodies also need to be recharged, PM Modi said. A healthy body is important for a healthy mind, he said. Stressing on the need for sleep, the head of the country asked students to get a sound sleep. We should do exercises for fitness everyday for at least five to 10 minutes, he said.

Career choices: We don’t trust ourselves and take advice from others, PM Modi said. The worst thing is confusion. PM Modi asked students to make a choice and put life into it. We have to become decisive in any situation.

Trust in family: The deficiency of trust in family is a worrying issue, students should analyze their behaviour in every way possible, PM Modi said. “Do you follow what you say,” he asked and said that if students do, the situation of trust deficit will not arrive.

Use of technology in studies: It is a saying that anything in extreme is not good, PM Modi said. As per the prime minister, it is important for students to allot a fixed amount of time to gadgets such as a mobile phone. The minister suggested a no gadget zone in a home. While we should not run away from technology, we should know the right use of it, PM Modi said. Parents should educate their children using gadgets. The prime minister suggested using tools which inform about screen time.

How to handle pressure: Sharing his strategies to handle pressure, PM Modi said that he takes confidence from the fact that 140 crore people are with him. He said that he tries to set priorities and takes a lesson from his mistakes.