PM interacts with students aboard cruise ship on river Brahmaputra in Assam

Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday morning set sail on river Brahmaputra on a cruise ship, as he began his interaction with students during a 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' programme on the second day of his Assam visit.

A total of 25 students from various schools of Assam are taking part in the event.

Modi is scheduled to interact with the students for around 45 minutes aboard the three-deck 'M V Charaidew 2', officials said.

He arrived at the Guwahati Gateway Terminal of the Inland Water Transport (IWT), inaugurated recently by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and moved to the ship along the floating bridge.

Security has been heightened along the entire area with the River Police, NDRF and SDRF personnel patrolling the river since early morning, the officials said.

Ferry services on river Brahmaputra have been suspended for two days since Saturday in the wake of Modi’s visit.

The students participating in the programme have been selected from schools in Kamrup Metropolitan, Morigaon, Dibrugarh, Cachar, Sribhumi, Baksa, Dima Hasao, Kokrajhar, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, and Nalbari districts.

They represent government, residential and private schools, including the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, PM Shri schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Assam Jatiya Bidyalay, Don Bosco institutions, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, the officials said.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that the PM's visit to Kaziranga last year led to a surge in tourist footfalls, and the same is expected for river tourism.

''We expect the same catalytic effect on river tourism in Assam when the PM takes a cruise on the Brahmaputra for Pariksha pe Charcha,'' he had said.

‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ is held annually since 2018 to help students cope with examination pressure, and promote a balanced approach to learning and mental health.

The initiative aims to reduce examination-related stress and encourage students to speak openly about academics, career aspirations, and mental well-being.

During the programme, Modi interacts with students, offering valuable advice on tackling board and entrance exams in a calm and stress-free manner.