Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said “I have shut all doors and windows of disappointment in my life,” when young students asked him how he handles pressures of his office and remains positive in work.

He was interacting with students in the seventh edition of the Pariksha Pe Charcha, a programme where he attempts to create a stress-free atmosphere for youngsters who are preparing to take their exams.

M Vagesh, a student of Modern Senior Secondary School, Chennai, Tamil Nadu asked Mr Modi how he handles pressure and stress in the position of Prime Minister. Sneha Tyagi, a student of Dynasty Modern Gurukul Academy, Udam Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand asked him “How can we be positive like you?”

The Prime Minister said that everyone faces unforeseen situations. One can react to them by avoidance, but such people do not achieve much in life. “My approach which I found useful is that I challenge every challenge. I do not wait passively for the challenge to pass. This gives me an opportunity to learn all the time. Dealing with new situations enriches me,” the Prime Minister said.

He said that decision-making becomes easier when the resolve to do something is strong. “When there is no selfish motive, there is never confusion in decision,” he said.

Mr Modi told the students “My biggest confidence is that I have 140 crore countrymen with me. If there are 100 million challenges, there are billions of solutions. I never find myself alone and everything is on me, I am always aware of the capabilities of my country and countrymen. This is the fundamental crux of my thinking.”

Giving an example of the poverty issue, the Prime Minister said when the poor themselves decide to remove poverty, poverty will go away. “It is my responsibility to give them tools for dreaming for a pucca house, toilet, education, Ayushman, piped water,” he said.

“Once they are unshackled of the daily indignities, they will be sure of the abolition of poverty,” he said. In his tenure of 10 years, 25 crore people came out of poverty, the Prime Minister said.

Giving illustration of the Covid pandemic, he said that instead of sitting idle he chose to rally people and raise their collective strength through acts like calling for diya lighting, or thali-sound. Celebrating sporting success and right direction and leadership resulted in a massive medal haul at international events, he said.

During the interaction, the Prime Minister highlighted the role of teachers in mitigating the impact of added pressure from external factors upon students and pointed out that parents have experienced this from time to time.

He asked parents not to do “running commentary” when students are preparing for examinations. The parents can avoid stress by providing new clothes, doing rituals or gifting stationery. Mr Modi asked students not to keep preparing until the last moment and approach exams with a relaxed mindset and to avoid any external distraction that can lead to unwanted tension.

Mr Modi urged the students, families and teachers to collectively address the issue of external stress while evolving the process rather than following traditional ways. He suggested that families of students should discuss different ways that work for each of them.

The Prime Minister asked the parents to avoid comparison among the children. The Prime Minister gave an example of a video where children prioritized helping each other while competing in a healthy manner. He asked students to maintain a balanced lifestyle and avoiding excess of everything.

He said teachers should become more accessible to students rather than associating with them just on the basis of subjects taught. Giving the example of doctors who maintain a personal connection with their patients, the Prime Minister said that such a bond results in half the treatment.

The Prime Minister stressed making effective use of technology and mobile phones with the help of judgement-based decision-making. “Every parent faces this issue,” the Prime Minister said pointing out the subject of privacy and secrecy.

He stressed formulating a set of rules and regulations in the family and mentioned no electronic gadgets being used during dinner and creating no gadget zones in the house.