PM Modi calls on students, says 'compete with yourself, not others'

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday advised parents against treating their child's report card as their own visiting card, and suggested that students should compete with themselves and not others.

Interacting with students, parents and teachers during his annual 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' programme, the prime minister said competition and challenges act as inspirations in life but competition must be healthy.

"You must not compare one child with another as that can be detrimental to their future. Some parents treat their children's report card as their visiting card, this is not good," he said.

The prime minister explained that the stress on students is of three types— induced by peer pressure, by parents and self induced.

"At times children take pressure on themselves that they are not performing up to the mark. I suggest that you should set small goals during preparation and gradually improve your performance, this way you will be completely ready before the exams," he said.

Describing students as the shapers of India's future, Modi said the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme is like an examination for him too.

Speaking at the seventh episode of his outreach programme with students ahead of examinations, he said students have become more innovative than ever.

"Our students will shape our future," Modi said.

Organised by the Ministry of Education, Pariksha Pe Charcha has been engaging students, parents and teachers for the past six years.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the fourth edition was held online, while the fifth and sixth editions returned to the town hall format. A total of 31.24 lakh students, 5.60 lakh teachers and 1.95 lakh parents participated in the previous year's edition.

This year, an estimated 2.26 crore registrations have taken place on the MyGov portal, highlighting the widespread enthusiasm among students.

This year's event has been held in a town hall format at the Bharat Mandapam here. Two students and a teacher from each state and Union Territory, along with winners of the Kala Utsav, have been invited.