By Krishna Dua 
Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026: PM Shares Exam Mantra
Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026, the seventh edition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s annual motivational interaction with students, parents and teachers, took place on 2 February 2026 at Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. Organised by the Ministry of Education under the “Exam Warriors” initiative, the 90-minute session drew an in-person crowd of over 12,000 students and was live-streamed to more than 4.2 crore viewers across YouTube, Doordarshan, MyGov, PM India app and regional channels. The event was deliberately held just before the start of major board and entrance examinations, making it a timely source of guidance and reassurance.
This year’s overarching message—“Celebrate Effort, Not Just Outcome”—resonated strongly with students facing CBSE Class 10 & 12 board exams (starting mid-February), NEET, JEE Main, CUET and various state-level entrance tests. The Prime Minister’s mantra focused on effort, resilience, mental health, balanced preparation and the idea that examinations are only one chapter in the larger book of life.
Opening Remarks: Effort Over Outcome
Prime Minister Narendra Modi began by addressing students as “the architects of Viksit Bharat 2047” and reframed examinations as a process rather than a verdict.
“Marks do not define your entire future. What defines you is the effort you put in, the honesty with which you prepare, the courage to face setbacks and the ability to rise again. Today’s children face pressure no previous generation faced—social-media comparison, coaching-class expectations, parental anxiety. But remember: the real competition is with yourself, not with the person sitting next to you.”
He shared a personal story from his youth when he struggled with public speaking during RSS shakha sessions. “I improved not because I was born with the talent, but because I practised every day. Talent is a spark; effort is what turns it into a flame.”
Key Mantras Shared by the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister articulated several practical “mantras” during the session:
- Mantra 1: Treat your mind like a mobile phone “Your mind can hang under pressure. When it does, restart it with deep breathing, a short walk, or talking to someone you trust. Charge it every day with good habits—sleep, exercise, healthy food.”
- Mantra 2: Effort is the real scorecard “Celebrate the hours you studied, the concepts you mastered, the mistakes you corrected—not just the marks on the answer sheet. When parents and teachers praise effort, children stop fearing failure.”
- Mantra 3: Social media is a highlight reel, not reality “Never compare your behind-the-scenes with someone else’s edited reel. Curate your feed—follow people who inspire growth, not those who showcase perfection.”
- Mantra 4: Failure is data, not defeat “Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before the bulb. Every failure is feedback. Ask yourself: What did I learn? How will I do it differently next time?”
- Mantra 5: Balance is strength “Study hard, but also sleep well, eat well, play a sport or pursue a hobby. A rested mind learns faster than an exhausted one.”
Student Questions & Prime Minister’s Responses
The session featured 18 live questions selected from over 8.2 lakh submissions received via the Pariksha Pe Charcha portal, MyGov and social-media platforms.
- A Class 12 student from Hyderabad asked about managing panic attacks before exams. PM Modi demonstrated the 4-7-8 breathing technique (inhale 4 seconds, hold 7, exhale 8) and advised physical movement to release tension.
- A Class 10 girl from Patna spoke about feeling inadequate because of Instagram reels. The Prime Minister urged conscious curation of social media and reminded students that “no one posts their failures.”
- A NEET aspirant asked how to balance board exams and entrance preparation. Modi suggested creating a weekly “energy calendar” rather than a rigid timetable—schedule high-energy hours for tough subjects and protect sleep.
- A parent asked how to support children without adding pressure. The PM replied: “Become a companion, not a coach. Celebrate effort and improvement, not only marks. When a child knows you are proud of the journey, the outcome takes care of itself.”
- A Class 11 student worried about AI replacing jobs. Modi encouraged learning AI as a tool: “The jobs of tomorrow will go to those who can use AI, not those who compete against it.”
New Initiatives Announced During the Session
The Prime Minister announced several concrete measures:
- Pariksha Pe Charcha Mobile App 2.0 — Launched with offline mode, AI-powered doubt-clearing chatbot, guided meditation modules and a dedicated “Parent Corner” with expert tips.
- National Student Mental-Health Helpline — 24×7 toll-free number (14416) to be operational from April 2026, staffed by trained counsellors in collaboration with NIMHANS, CBSE and NCERT.
- Exam Warriors Clubs — Every CBSE and Kendriya Vidyalaya school to form student-led clubs for peer support, stress-management workshops and mindfulness sessions.
- 30-Day Pre-Exam Yoga & Meditation Series — Free module by Ministry of AYUSH and Art of Living, available on Diksha and PM e-Vidya platforms from March 2026.
Public & Social-Media Response
The session trended nationally within minutes. Hashtags #ParikshaPeCharcha2026, #ExamWarriors2026 and #UnitedByUnique collectively crossed 9 million posts in 24 hours.
Positive reactions dominated:
- Students appreciated the practical, non-preachy tone and breathing technique demonstration.
- Parents welcomed the shift from marks obsession to effort celebration and the mental-health helpline announcement.
- Teachers praised the recognition of their role in reducing academic pressure.
Some criticism appeared on social media:
- A section of users called the session “too motivational and light on concrete education reforms.”
- Others noted that similar promises (helpline, clubs) were made in previous years with delayed implementation.
Early sentiment analysis showed approximately 78 % positive, 15 % neutral and 7 % critical responses.
Significance in the Current Academic Context
Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026 arrived just as students across India prepare for CBSE Class 10 & 12 board exams (starting mid-February), NEET, JEE Main, CUET and various state-level entrance tests. CBSE reported a 28 % rise in stress-related helpline calls in 2025 compared with 2024, underscoring the growing mental-health burden on students.
The Prime Minister’s deliberate focus on effort, resilience, emotional well-being and balanced preparation—rather than ranks or marks—struck a chord with parents, educators and mental-health professionals who have long advocated for systemic de-stressing of examinations.
Conclusion
The 2026 edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha reinforced its unique place in India’s education calendar: a rare platform where the country’s highest constitutional office holder speaks directly to students in an empathetic, non-political tone. By emphasising process over perfection, mental health over marks, and personal growth over comparison, the session offered both emotional reassurance and actionable guidance to millions of examinees and their families.
While the true measure of success lies in implementation—whether the announced helpline, school clubs and mobile-app features deliver meaningful support—the conversation itself provided a powerful national moment of solidarity with students during one of the most stressful periods of the academic year.
For every young Indian preparing for boards, entrances or the larger journey beyond classrooms, the message from 2 February 2026 was clear and comforting: your effort matters, your journey matters, and you matter far more than any single result.