Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed students at the grand finale of Smart India Hackathon – a nationwide competition held by All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE).

This year, the competition held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The challenges which you have been working on, I am curious to know about them,” PM Modi said.

PM also talked about the recently introduced New Education Policy 2020.

He spoke about the importance of education in this era and focus on quality education and said that NEP aims to make school and college experience more fruitful.

He said, “It is time to focus on learning, innovation and knowledge. This is what NEP does.”

PM Modi in his address to students said that with their growth, India grows.

He asked them to continue to learn, question and solve. He said, “Learn so you can question things, question and you will be able to create solutions.”

PM Modi further said that the NEP is not just a policy but a compilation of aspirations of all the Indians.

‘It will convert job seekers into job creators.’ He gave a mantra to students and said, “never stop three things in life – learning, questioning and solving.”

PM Modi spoke about women hygiene and the government’s efforts to raise awareness in this sphere.

While talking about reusable menstrual hygiene products for women he spoke about the government’s initiative of providing affordable biodegradable pads to women.

He said, “awareness about women hygiene came late in India.”

While discussing with a student about creating solutions to improve low internet connectivity in the North-East, PM said that these students ‘strengthen the idea of Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’.

In his discussion, PM congratulated a group of students from Kerala who created a virtual assistant which can help patients in incubators. He said with a data-driven solution for health care solutions are reaching to the remotest and poorest of the poor.

He said, “Such services and such technologies is our aim under Ayushmann Bharat Yojana.”

PM also addressed a group of students from Hyderabad who have created a solution to reduce crime by asking them if they could create a real-time tracking and alert system.

PM Modi said, “I will connect you to IPS training institute to ensure dialogue.”