In a freewheeling interaction with students across the country on the eve of Teachers’ Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday underscored the need for having good people in politics to take the country to greater heights. During the over 100 minute interaction with students and teachers, Modi also gave tips on how to ignite their minds and improve oratory skill. He advised parents not to impose choices on children.
Besides he announced a major initiative of replacing “Character certificates” with “Aptitude Certificates” which, according to the PM, will reflect the personality of the students when they leave schools. Modi responded to a range of questions including his school days and dress sense with 800 students and 60 teachers from schools in Delhi who participated in the event at the Manekshaw auditorium in the national Capital, just like he did last year on the Teachers’ Day.
Students from nine other States also joined the programme through video conference. There was criticism last year that the Prime Minister had ignored the teachers when he interacted with students on Teachers’ Day last year.
The Prime Minister spoke highly about the role of teachers in nation-building and said he interacts with students on the occasion of Teachers’ Day as students are their identity. “Mother gives birth to a child, (guru) teacher gives life (jeevan). There will hardly be anyone in the world who will not admit the role of their mother and teacher in their life,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister said there must have been great teachers behind every successful doctor, engineer and scientist and exhorted the parents to not force choices on their children. “Sometimes people wonder why spend time with students on Teachers’ Day. It is because students are teachers’ identity,” he said adding that education should not create “robots” as he emphasised the importance of art and culture in students life.
When a student from Goa asked him about his favourite sport, Modi in a lighter vein responded, “We all know the games politicians play.” He then narrated, how he used to climb trees and learnt swimming. On politics, he said “Unfortunately politics has acquired a lot of bad name. Talented people from all walks of life are required in politics.”
Elaborating on his direction to issue Aptitude certificates, Modi said, “Everybody gets a character certificate from school. I have issued direction to replace character certificate with aptitude certificate,” he said.
listing various initiatives of his government, Modi said “My aim is to ensure 24X7 power supply across the country by 2022.” He said 18,000 villages where there is no power will be electrified in the next 1,000 days.
The students posed a range of questions to the Prime Minister from his choice of clothes, to his inspirations in life, waste management and how to inculcate leadership qualities. The Prime Minister said he doesn’t have a fashion designer. “I only dress sober and simple,” he said. Acknowledging the influence of Swami Vivekananda’s life and work on his life, the Prime Minister said he read about Vivekananda in his village library.