In the first episode of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025, held at Delhi’s historic Sunder Nursery, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged with students, offering valuable insights on leadership, as stated in a report by NDTV.
He emphasised that teamwork, trust, and patience are crucial qualities of a good leader but asserted that the first step toward leadership is self-transformation.
"Leadership is not imposed; people around you accept you. For this, you have to change yourself. To become a leader, it is very important to learn teamwork… patience and earning trust is very necessary," PM Modi told the students.
Encouraging students to reflect on what defines a leader, he humorously remarked, “It's someone wearing kurta-pyjama, a jacket, giving speeches on various platforms” in a lighthearted reference to himself.
However, he clarified that leadership goes beyond appearances. “If anyone becomes a leader, their job is not to correct others’ mistakes but to set an example themselves,” he added.
Illustrating his point with an example, he said, “If a class monitor is supposed to ensure punctuality but fails to follow the rules themselves, will anyone listen? No. But if the monitor completes their homework first and helps others, that is true leadership.”
PM Modi stressed that actions speak louder than words. “If you are preaching cleanliness but creating filth, then you cannot be a leader. Teamwork, understanding, and patience are key. You have to support your peers to earn their trust, and that trust will solidify your leadership,” he explained. He also reminded students that respect cannot be demanded; it must be earned.
Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025, which aired at 11 am today, is set to continue over eight episodes. This year’s event features an impressive lineup of celebrity guests, including Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone, Vikrant Massey, and Bhumi Pednekar; spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev; athlete Avani Lekhara; boxer Mary Kom; nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar; and tech influencer Technical Guruji (Gaurav Chaudhary). Business leaders such as Sonali Sabharwal and Radhika Gupta will also join.
Initiated in 2018, Pariksha Pe Charcha is an annual platform where students from Classes VI to XII engage directly with the Prime Minister for guidance on managing exam stress.
This year’s registration period, which ran from December 14, 2024, to January 14, 2025, saw an unprecedented five crore participants, including students, teachers, and parents from India and abroad.
A total of 36 students from each state and union territory have been selected for direct interaction with PM Modi, making this edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha a record-breaking success.
