Prime Minister Narendra Modi today interacted with a group of students from Assam while travelling on a cruise vessel on the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati. The interaction was held under the ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ programme. This initiative encourages students to speak openly about examination-related stress and mental well-being.
The Prime Minister reached the Guwahati Gateway Terminal of Inland Water Transport in the morning. The terminal was inaugurated recently by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. From the terminal, Modi walked across a floating bridge and boarded the three-deck cruise ship M V Charaidew 2.
Officials said that the session lasted for about 45 minutes. Modi spoke to 25 school students who were selected from different districts of Assam. The students came from Kamrup Metropolitan, Morigaon, Dibrugarh, Cachar, Baksa, Dima Hasao, Kokrajhar, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Nalbari. They represented government, residential and private schools including Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kendriya Vidyalaya, PM Shri schools, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Assam Jatiya Bidyalay and Don Bosco institutions. 
The Prime Minister advised the students to remain calm while preparing for examinations. He stressed that they should not fear failure and should follow a balanced routine. He also discussed ways to cope with stress and the importance of steady study habits.
The interaction took place on the upper deck of the vessel. During the event, security agencies tightened arrangements along the river. Personnel from the river police, National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force were deployed since early morning. Ferry services along the Brahmaputra were suspended for two days starting Saturday.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the Prime Minister’s visit. He said the river cruise programme could help promote future river tourism in Assam. He pointed out that a rise in tourist footfall was seen in Kaziranga after Modi’s visit last year.
‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’, which began in 2018, is held every year to encourage dialogue between students and the Prime Minister. The initiative seeks to help students handle exam pressure, plan their studies and speak freely about their worries regarding school, career and mental health. The Guwahati interaction marked the continuation of this effort, ahead of examinations scheduled early next year.
