Bengaluru girl gets Modi to advise parents not to pressure wards

BENGALURU: A city girl on Tuesday got Prime Minister Narendra Modi to counsel parents not to exert undue pressure on their wards for excelling in academics.

“How can we deal with pressure created by parents, teachers and peers to get good marks?” Lavanya R, a class 10 student from St Mary’s Public School, Queens Road, asked the PM during his

Pariksha pe Charcha 2.0

held in New Delhi.

“Things go wrong when pressure is created. Parents must take it easy to avoid any reaction,” Modi replied. “Some parents consider their children’s markscards as their visiting cards when they go to gatherings or get-togethers. They must not make such comparisons and impose their unfulfilled dreams on their child’s shoulders,” the PM added.

He said till children are 7-8 years old, parents are very conscious about their needs and wishes, but after that age, students are pressured to secure more marks and be all-rounders.

The PM addressed a gathering of about 2,000 students at

Talkatora Stadium

. Answering other queries, he asked parents not to burden students and to communicate with them regularly. Children should share their worries with seniors and parents. As far as gaming is concerned, parents should help students use technology in a better way, he said.

An excited Lavanya told TOI: “I was satisfied with the answer. He said what I wanted every parent to hear and follow. I have also faced the same but my parents realized it in time and suggested I practise meditation. It helped me come a long way without being stressed.”

“Now, I practice yoga for half an hour in morning and before sleeping, which helps me revise,” Lavanya added.

Her principal Asha Sunil said, “We have encountered many cases of students suffering from exam phobia. Now, we conduct regular yoga classes for 15-20 minutes in the classroom every morning for class 10 and 12 students before they start the day.”