New Delhi: The human resource development ministry has invited students to join a question-answer session with the Prime Minister on beating exam stress, the event at Talkatora Stadium on February 16 coming within weeks of the launch of Narendra Modi's book on the same subject, Exam Warriors.
HRD minister Prakash Javadekar told journalists on Thursday that about 2,000 school and college students, with their teachers and principals, would participate directly in the programme labelled Pareeksha pe Charcha. But it is expected to reach about 10 crore school and university students across the country through the use of electronic and web media, he said.
Students have been advised to post their questions at https://www.mygov.inask/making-exams-fun-chat-pm-narendra-modi.
The website points out that "PM Narendra Modi has also penned a book titled 'Exam Warriors' which was recently launched by Honorable Ministers Smt Sushma Swaraj and Shri Prakash Javadekar".
It adds: "You can post your questions on the above subject here. Use #ExamWarriors on Social Media. Selected questions will be featured in PM Narendra Modi's Interactive Session."
The HRD ministry, however, denied that the event had anything to do with promoting the book published by Penguin Random House India.
"The function has nothing to do with the book. This is primarily about how to address stress in examination and life," R. Subramanian, special secretary, HRD ministry, told The Telegraph.
Javadekar said Pareeksha pe Charcha would strike a chord with most households in the country as the exam season is round the corner. "Prime Minister Modi will advise students on beating exam stress and appearing for exams with a positive attitude," he added.
The website says school students from Classes IX to XII and college students can ask a question, in English or Hindi, about handling exam stress. A committee of experts set up by the HRD ministry will go through the questions posted on mygov.in and select some. Students whose questions are selected will be advised to ask the same before a TV camera and the clipping played at the event. The website does not clarify how the 2,000 students at Talkatora will be chosen.
The HRD ministry has written to all states and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to ensure students can watch or hear the event.
A CBSE circular issued to affiliated schools said the programme will be broadcast live by Doordarshan, All India Radio, websites of the PMO, HRD ministry, Mygov.in as well as the ministry's YouTube channel, Facebook Live and Swayamprabha channel. The circular said students from Class VI onwards can view the event.
"All schools are requested to make necessary arrangements in the school to enable the students to view/hear the telecast/broadcast, through any one of the modes mentioned above," it said.
"Schools are requested to upload/submit a report in this regard along with four to five good photographs or video of students viewing/hearing the broadcast in the schools on 16th February 2018 at ppc.cbse@gmail.com on or before 17.02.2018," it said.
Higher education regulator University Grants Commission issued a notice in the evening to the vice-chancellors of 880 universities and the principals of 40,000 colleges asking them to take steps for "providing facilities of having projection on the large screen to view the programme for students in your institutions".
