In the 5th edition of “Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC)”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked parents and teachers not to force their dreams on the students, saying it was important for every child to follow his/her own dreams.

“Unfulfilled dreams of teachers and parents cannot be forced on students. Parents and teachers must accept the fact that every child has some special ability and that needs to be discovered,” he said even as he appealed to students to recognise their own strengths and move ahead with confidence.

The PM interacted with students, teachers and parents at the Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi and inspected the exhibits of the students showcased at the venue.

He expressed his happiness over addressing his ”young friends” after the virtual interaction last year in view of Covid-19. He said that PPC was his favourite programme. The PM introduced a new practice in the 5th edition of PPC. He said that questions that which could not be taken by him would be addressed through video, audio or text message on the Namo App.

Answering some of the questions, the PM asked the students not to be stressed as this was not the first examination for which they were appearing. “In a way you are exam-proof”, he told them. The experience they got from previous examinations would help them overcome the upcoming examinations.

He suggested that they should focus on the strength of their preparation and stay relaxed and natural in their day-to-day routine.

The PM emphasised that there was no problem with the online or offline modes of study. Even in the offline mode of study, the mind could be very distracted. “It is not the medium but the mind that is the problem”, he said.

Modi said the students should embrace the new technologies in education. New modes of learning should be taken as an opportunity, not as a challenge. Online could augment offline learning.

Talking about the ‘National’ Education Policy’, he said it was drafted after a lot of brainstorming with various stakeholders. “Consultations over the National Education Policy have been exhaustive. People across India were consulted on this” he said.

He said the policy was made not by the government but by the citizens, students and teachers for the development of the country. Previously, physical education and training were extra-curricular activities but now they were a part of education and were gaining new prestige.

Underlining that there was no injection or formula for motivation, he said the students should rather discover themselves and find out what made them happy and work on that. He asked the students to identify things that motivated them naturally. The students should not try to get sympathy over their woes.

He said the students should aim to master a subject rather than clearing exams. In this connection, he noted that athletes train for sports and not for competition. “You belong to a special generation. Yes, there is more competition but there are more opportunities too”, he said. He asked the students to treat competition as the greatest gift of their time.