New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a major push towards making preparation for competitive examinations more accessible, saying the government will offer free online coaching to young aspirants across the country.
Speaking from the Red Fort on Independence Day, Modi said the rising dependence on coaching institutes had placed considerable financial pressure on families, particularly those belonging to the middle class. He argued that students should not have to move away from home or force their parents to spend large sums simply to prepare for an examination.
The Prime Minister said the government would make use of India’s digital infrastructure and the country’s large pool of experienced educators to deliver coaching through online platforms.
Modi said the initiative is intended to address the economic burden created by the coaching ecosystem, where families often feel that enrolling their children in private coaching has become almost essential to remain competitive.
He also stressed the importance of enabling young people to pursue their ambitions while staying close to their families. The government, he said, wants to reduce the expenses incurred by parents on coaching and make opportunities available to a wider section of society.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of growing anxiety among students and job aspirants over competitive examinations. Protests concerning alleged irregularities in examinations have been reported in several parts of the country, with Delhi’s Jantar Mantar emerging as one of the prominent venues for youth demonstrations.
Youth asked to contribute to Census exercise
The Prime Minister’s address also carried a call for greater involvement of young people in India’s Census exercise.
Modi appealed to citizens, particularly the youth, to volunteer their time and encourage participation in the Census 2027 process. He said even spending a limited amount of time on the exercise could make a meaningful contribution to the country.
According to the Prime Minister, the significance of the Census goes beyond determining the size of India’s population. Reliable information collected during the exercise, he said, would assist governments in formulating welfare programmes and policies and in deciding the country’s future development priorities.
He urged families to create a culture of participation and ensure that the information provided during the enumeration process is accurate.
PM Modi says Maoist violence has entered final phase
Internal security was another key subject in the Independence Day speech, with Modi asserting that Maoist violence was nearing its end.
Reflecting on the decades-long conflict, he said large territories and communities had lived under the shadow of armed Naxal groups. The Prime Minister also highlighted the sacrifice of security personnel who died during operations against Maoist insurgents.
Modi recalled the government’s commitment made after assuming office in 2014 to eliminate Naxal violence. He said several regions once affected by insurgency have since moved towards normalcy and development.
However, the Prime Minister said the challenge was not restricted to armed groups. Referring to what he called “dimagi Naxals”, he alleged that Maoist ideology had also influenced sections operating within institutions and government advisory structures.
He called for such ideological influence to be recognised and countered, arguing that Naxalism had deprived generations of young people of opportunities and held back development in affected regions.
With his Independence Day address, Modi linked three different areas — educational opportunity, civic participation and internal security — to a broader message about involving India’s youth in the country’s development journey.
