Ready for budget ‘exam’, PM Modi tells students

A day before the presentation of the Annual Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he was ‘full of confidence’ ahead of his ‘examination’ by 125 crore people, a trait which he wanted students to imbibe when they appear for their Class X and XII examinations starting Tuesday. “I have an exam tomorrow,” said Modi referring to presentation of General Budget in Parliament on Monday as he gave a pep talk to students appearing for board exams for which he even roped icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Vishwanathan Anand.

In his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi emphasized that students should appear for the exams with a “positive approach” having free and calm mind without any anxiety. In this context, he cited his example in the context of presentation of Budget which all the countrymen closely monitor and analyze. “Friends, your exams are starting. I too have exam tomorrow. The country’s 125 crore people are going to take my examination,” the Prime Minister said, while pointing out that Budget is being presented today. “But you must have seen how healthy I am feeling, how full of confidence I am. 

Let my exams take place tomorrow and yours day after and may all of us succeed so that the nation succeeds…Move ahead with a free mind, without any tension of success or failure,” he said in his 35-minute talk.

Stressing on the need for a positive and tension-free approach, Modi roped in Sachin, Anand besides Bharat Ratna scientist CNR Rao and spiritual leader Murari Bapu, whose messages were played during the programme. They gave their own examples of how they approached their exams in their respective fields, keeping tension aside.

Underlining that “positive approach” and “positive frame of mind” help in all aspects of life, the Prime Minister talked about himself and said when he comes across some issues which he is not familiar with, he concentrates to deal with them. 

“Sometimes I feel tension within. Then I feel that I should relax a bit so that I feel good. So I have developed my own technique. I do some deep breathing. I take deep breath three times, five times. It may take a few seconds but my mind becomes ready to deal with the situation with a calm mind. This may be my experience but this may help you too,” said Modi.