Modi's pep talk to students, appear for exams with confidence

In a pep talk to students preparing for board and competitive exams, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight counselled them to appear for these tests with self-confidence without getting nervous by making it an issue of life and death.
Reaching out to the student community as well as their parents through his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' programme over radio, he said students should make their best efforts and strive to get the maximum marks but should not get into any rat race of competition.
Trying to see oneself through the eyes of others puts pressure, was his thrust during the 25-minute programme.

While noting that he himself was an ordinary student with bad hand-writing, Modi also advised parents not to put pressure on their wards.
He said the students should go the examination halls with a determination that they can do better than the last time.
"Instead of competing with others, you should compete with yourself, do better, do faster and go to greater heights," the Prime Minister said and to inspire students he cited the example of former Soviet pole vaulter Sergei Bubka who broke his own world record 35 times.
"Appear for the exams in cool manner.... Have faith in yourself.... Do not get worried about outside reasons because that shows lack of self-confidence and you fall into 'andh vishwas'.... This is not going to be the end of life.... Life is much bigger than just academic examinations," he said in a typical counselling session.