Schools asked to provide photo or video to prove students saw PM Modi's 'Pariksha Par Charcha'

Schools across the country have been asked to provide photo or video proof that students watched the national telecast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Pariksha Par Charcha' on February 16, a media report said today. 

According to a Times of India report, the HRD ministry instructed all state governments to compile reports soon after the PM's interaction with students on Friday. The state governments then asked the schools of all boards to provide details of students who watched the speech as well as submit photographs or videos of their participation. 

Schools received circulars from their respective state's education department to submit the evidence by February 19, the report said. 

Various district chief education officers were provided with a form seeking details of the total number of schools, enrolment figures, number of schools where students viewed or heard the telecast. The form also sought details of the number of students who viewed the event through television or radio or web streaming on the websites of the PMO, MHRD, Doordarshan, MyGov.in and other internet channels.

The MHRD denied having sought video or photographs and said it was a 'routine feedback' from the schools. 

"The ministry has not asked for any report on the participation of schools in the event. It was a routine feedback where no mandatory clause was given," a senior HRD official said. 

The official said that it has been a practice for states or autonomous bodies like KVS and CBSE to submit their feedback for such events and that "no evidence was sought."

However, the chief education officers in Tamil Nadu said they had received instructions from the MHRD to send out the forms to all schools in the state.

PM Modi on February 16 conducted an interactive session, "Pariksha Par Charcha" with students at Delhi's Talkatora Stadium to talk about exam stress. Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar had asked all states to make provisions for live telecast of the interactive session in all schools across the country, irrespective of boards.