The Human Resource Development minister, however, evaded questions on whether her ministry plans to hold a similar exercise on November 14, the birthday of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, which is celebrated as Children's Day.
"You will have to wait for it till the time comes," Irani told reporters at a news conference here to list out the important steps taken by her ministry in the first 100 days of the NDA government.
The HRD ministry's directive that all schools make arrangements for live screening of the the event for their students had drawn criticism from some quarters, forcing her to clarify that attendance for it was "voluntary".
During the 90-minute, first-of-its-kind interaction, Modi talked about his childhood and narrated anecdotes with an emphasis that children should not lose their childhood and should inculcate habits of reading and cleanliness.
Modi told the students that education of the girl child was his top priority and the initiative to ensure toilets in all schools was part of that endeavour.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
