'When told I'm 75, I said 25 yrs left': PM Modi tells students to focus on future

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Friday urged students not to view success in exams as the sole purpose of their education and said an individual's character and temperament, and not just grades, determine success in life. "Education is not only for exams but for life. Exams are meant to examine oneself," Modi said at his annual 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' interaction, aimed at helping students cope with exam pressure, adding that the ultimate goal is not marks but the holistic development of life. Modi said he believes in focusing on future goals instead of obsessing about what has happened. "A leader told me, you have turned 75. I replied, 25 are still left. I don't count what has passed. I count what is left," he said. His advice to students was: "Don't waste time counting what's passed. Think about living what lies ahead."Modi cautions students against shortcut learningWarning against shortcut learning, Modi said many students, fixated with good scores, suffer because they focus only on what patterns can be discerned in questions in previous exams. Good teachers, he said, do the opposite - "They teach the entire syllabus and explain how it connects to life." Using a cricket analogy, he noted that a player cannot succeed by strengthening just one muscle. In the same way, students must build mind, body and understanding together, the PM said.Modi reminded students that board toppers are soon forgotten, but character and capability last. "Instead of tying your mind to marks, keep testing where your life is heading," he said. "Aim for the best possible life - and treat education as one important path to reach there," Modi said.Modi welcomed students at 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' with the Assamese gamosa, calling it his "most cherished" symbol of the Northeast and women's empowerment - a traditional wear that BJP had accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of declining to wear at the Republic Day 'At Home' reception hosted by President Droupadi Murmu. The party accused the leader of opposition of insulting the sentiments of people of AssamStudents also wrote their fears on a blackboard which Modi read aloud and addressed one by one. On confidence, he said: "Real confidence comes from inner truth." On life choices, he added: "Comfort zones don't shape life - your way of living does." Urging students to dream, Modi said, "Not having a dream is a crime." But, he added, dreaming alone is not enough without action. He advised students to write down their goals, keep them private, and work step by step. Reading biographies, he said, helps young people see how great leaders also started small like A P J Abdul Kalam.