They will soon sit for exams, but on Friday, it was their turn to test. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who faces real-time tests every day, was equal to the challenge.

At the event — ‘ Pariksha par charcha ’ — the PM interacted with students of class X and XII, who will soon take their Board exams, and provided suggestions on how to remain stress-free.

“You (student) will sit for exams in a few days, but my test is today,” Modi told a packed audience of students in the age-group of 15--18, who had assembled at the Talkatora stadium, Delhi.

Modi took questions on anxiety, stress, self-confidence, peer pressure, the role of teachers, and on the expectations of parents.

Emphasising the importance of self-confidence, in a session lasting over two hours, Modi stressed that the students should think of themselves as their own examiners. “Self-confidence comes by working hard. We should always aim to improve ourselves,” said the Prime Minister.

Kaniskha, a student from Noida’s DAV School, asked the PM how he could concentrate while studying, to which the PM responded: “Concentration is not something which is to be learnt. During the day, every person concentrates while reading or talking.” Yoga helped improve concentration, he added. On handling peer pressure, Modi suggested that one should not compete with others, but with oneself. “The focus should be on how improve yourself,” said Modi, while citing the example of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris and their success.

He also urged parents to not make the achievements of their child a matter of social prestige as every child is blessed with unique talents.

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