NEW DELHI, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday addressed millions of school kids across the country in 10th and 12th standards who would be appearing for their final annual examinations beginning early next month.
He told the kids about the importance of time management while preparing for the approaching examinations. There should be flexibility for time management as per the need of the hour, the prime minister advised the students.
Modi also replied to the students' queries from different parts of the country as to how to cope up with examinations stress and other apprehensions like time management.
Laying emphasis on the fact that the focus should be on learning and not on scoring marks or grades, Modi told the students, "Grades scored in exams should be a by-product."
The prime minister's live address to the students was televised to all schools, especially the government-run schools or government-aided, besides on most of the TV channels.
This is not the first time the prime minister has addressed school students live. Earlier he interacted with the school students live on the occasion of Teachers' Day on Sept. 5.
Earlier this month, Modi had come out with a new book titled "Exam Warriors" reaching out to school students on how to tackle examinations' stress and anxiety. This was the first such book by a prime minister. It talks about the ways in which students can tackle the stress and also advises school students to take to practicing yoga for mental and physical relief.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will be holding its annual examinations from March 5 till April 4 for 10th grade, and from March 5 till April 13 for 12th grade. Students in most of the other grades write their annual examinations prior to these dates.
In an era of intense academic competition (of scoring good marks/grades) in school education system in India, kids face a lot of stress during the annual examinations. Even some incidents of suicides among school students are reported every year on the day CBSE announces its results, for not doing well in examinations. Parents' pressure and expectations from their wards to get good grades in exams too often add to their stress.
