Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with students, parents and teachers during ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha.’ The Prime Minister during the interaction advised parents against putting undue pressure on children over marks.
The prime minister said, “I urge the parents not to pressurize their children. But at the same time, students should also not underestimate their capabilities.”
"It is very natural for family members to have a lot of expectations and there is nothing wrong in that, but if the family members are having these expectations due to social status then it is a matter of concern," he said.
The sixth edition of the interaction was held at the Talkatora Indoor stadium in New Delhi.
During the discussion, a student also asked PM Modi, "What is more important? Smart work or hard work?" "Some people hardly work smart and some people smartly work hard," the Prime Minister quipped.
"We should learn the nuances of these aspects and should work accordingly to achieve the desired results," he said.
PM Modi guided students on how to distinguish between hard work and smart work by citing 'The Thirsty Crow' story.
He also used a cricket analogy to highlight the importance of focus.
"Like in cricket, a batter focuses on the ball thrown to him ignoring the shouts of fours and sixes from the crowd, students should also concentrate on their work," said PM Modi. "Do not be suppressed by pressures. Stay focused," he added.
He also spoke about the importance of time-management and advised the students to learn the skill from their mothers. "Have you ever observed your mother's time management skills? A mother never feels burdened by the immense work she does. If you observe your mother, then you will understand how to manage your time well," PM Modi told students.
A few students also asked him how he deals with criticism by opposition and media. To that, PM Modi had a witty response. "This is an out of syllabus question," he said. He further said that in a democracy, "criticism is like purification".
Over 38 lakh students registered this year for participation in Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC), out of which more than 16 lakh are from state boards.
