Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shared parts of his interactions with students as part of his unique annual programme 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' and gave them a mantra to launch their own startup and strike a balance between their passion and studies. He also shared practical advice on handling board examinations, building confidence, staying positive, and overcoming common challenges such as anxiety and pressure, while also emphasising that he "learns a lot of things from students" during such interactions.
Organised by the Ministry of Education, 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' aims to turn exam preparation into a positive experience rather than a source of stress. During the interaction with students from Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore, a student asked the Prime Minister what steps she could take to launch her own startup.
"What should I do at an educational level that would help me prepare for launching my own startup?" Chavi Jain asked. To this, PM Modi replied, "Whenever I meet a youngster nowadays, the first thing they say is 'Startup'. First, you should focus on what you want to do.
Some startups want to innovate in technology. Some want to make drones, some want to do something different. You might have some friends who are interested in technology, some are finance experts -- all can get together and form a startup."
"Being 25 years old is not a qualification for launching a startup; one can start anytime. The work can start with small startups, too. It is good that you have an interest in this," he said. The Prime Minister also gave a 'mantra' to the students, advising them to reach out to the industry professionals and understand how they work.
"You can meet people who are running a startup. You can tell them that you are working on a school project and want to understand the startup concept. They will not hide anything from you. They will explain things to you. By doing this, you can gain the knowledge to move forward in this field," he added.
Another student asked the Prime Minister about her concerns about maintaining a balance between her studies and her passion. "How can we pursue art, craft and design alongside our studies and achieve a balance?" she asked. PM Modi explained that both studies and passion are "beneficial" and "interconnected".
"Don't see studies and art as separate," he said. "Suppose you like the arts, and you were taught a science chapter which contains practical assessments, then you can take out a paper and draw a lab on it. You can make diagrams of the chemicals and other things.
Like this, you are learning while making art," the Prime Minister said, stressing the balance between hobbies and studies. "You can use art to relieve stress and fatigue from studies during the exams," he said.