PARIKSHA PE CHARCHA: PM MODI SHARES STARTUP MANTRA, ADVISES STUDENTS NOT TO SEPARATE ART AND STUDIES

New Delhi, Feb 09, 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shared insights from his interactions with students during his annual programme Pariksha Pe Charcha, offering practical advice on entrepreneurship, exam preparation and maintaining a healthy balance between academics and personal passions.

During the interaction, the Prime Minister encouraged students to view examinations positively and addressed common challenges such as anxiety, pressure and lack of confidence. He also emphasised that he learns a great deal from students during such conversations.

Organised by the Ministry of Education, Pariksha Pe Charcha aims to transform exam preparation from a stressful experience into an opportunity for learning and self-growth.

Interacting with students from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, a student, Chavi Jain, asked the Prime Minister what educational steps she could take to prepare for launching a startup.

Responding to the query, PM Modi said that young people should first identify what they truly want to pursue. “Whenever I meet youngsters these days, the first word I hear is ‘startup’. Some want to innovate in technology, some want to work on drones, and some want to do something different. You may have friends who are good at technology or finance, and together you can build a startup,” he said.

He underlined that age should not be seen as a barrier to entrepreneurship. “Being 25 years old is not a qualification for starting a startup. One can begin at any age. Even small startups can be meaningful. It is good that you have this interest,” the Prime Minister added.

Sharing a ‘startup mantra’, PM Modi advised students to engage with industry professionals to understand how startups function. “You can meet people who are already running startups and tell them that you are working on a school project and want to understand the startup ecosystem. They will explain things openly. This will help you gain practical knowledge and move forward,” he said.

In response to another student’s concern about balancing studies with creative interests such as art, craft and design, the Prime Minister stressed that academics and passion should not be viewed as separate pursuits.

“Do not see studies and art as different,” he said. “If you enjoy art and are learning a science chapter with practical assessments, you can draw laboratory setups, diagrams of chemicals or processes. In this way, you are learning through creativity.”

He also noted that creative activities can help reduce stress during examinations. “Art can be a tool to relieve fatigue and stress while studying for exams,” PM Modi said.