"I have an exam tomorrow," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday referring to presentation of General Budget in Parliament as he gave a pep talk to motivate students appearing for board exams for which he even roped icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Vishwanathan Anand.
Modi said he was "full of confidence" ahead of his "examination" by 125 crore people, a trait which he wanted students to emulate when they appear for their examinations for Class X and XII starting Tuesday.
In his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', he emphasised that students should appear for the exams with a "positive approach" having free and calm mind without any anxiety. He also asked parents not to put pressure on them.
Read our full coverage on Union Budget 2016
Read more from our special coverage on "NARENDRA MODI"
- Modi asks farmers to convert challenges into opportunities
- Centres money finally started reaching farmers in Karnataka: PM
- India ray of hope in world economy; govt committed to poor: PM Modi to farmers
- T N Ninan: Narendra Modi, Mark II
- As Modi euphoria cools, India faces test to keep foreigners invested
In this context, he cited his example in the context of presentation of Budget which all the countrymen closely monitor and analyse.
"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 tomorrow.
"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 programme.
To lay stress on a positive and tension-free approach, Modi roped in Sachin, Anand besides Bharat Ratna scientist C N R 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.