I am ready for Budget exam: Narendra Modi

New Delhi: "I have an exam tomorrow", said PM Narendra Modi on Sunday on the eve of presentation of General Budget in Parliament as he sought to motivate students appearing for board exams for which he even roped in icons like Tendulkar and Vishwanathan Anand.

Modi, who admitted to feeling "tension" sometimes, 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.

"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.

Underlining that "positive approach" and "positive frame of mind" help in all aspects of life, the Prime Minister talked about himself and said when he comes across some issues which he is not familiar with, he concentrates to deal with them.

"Sometimes I feel tension within. Then I feel that I should relax a bit so that I feel good. So I have developed my own technique. I do some deep breathing. I take deep breath three times, five times. It may take a few seconds but my mind becomes ready to deal with the situation with a calm mind. This may be my experience but this may help you too," he told the students.

To motivate the students, the PM also invoked Thomas Alva Edison, who invented electricity, and J K Rowling of Harry Potter fame, saying their success had possibly come after many failures. Giving example of Sachin, Modi asked students not be burdened by expectations of others but set their own targets with "free thinking, free mind and independent capability".

Sachin said, "I understand that exams are starting in a few days. Many of you must be tense....I want to say that your thinking needs to be positive, then positive results will follow. So be positive. God will give you good results. Write the exams with free mind and results will be good."

Underlining the need for discipline and focus in life, Modi gave the example of world chess champion Vishwanathan Anand, saying his concentration is always intense when he plays the game and checkmates others, like Arjun's target of the eye of a fish.

Anand asked students to have good sleep, eat well and be calm when they appear for examinations. "It is important not to put too much pressure on yourself, don't keep your expectations too high. Just see it as a challenge... Don't be over-confident. But don't be pessimistic either," he said.

CNR Rao asked students to decide what they want and try to achieve it through their "doggedness, dedication and tenacity. With all these qualities, you will succeed in all examinations and all other endeavours." The Prime Minister noted that the country today celebrates the National Science Day to commemorate the announcement of Nobel Laureate C V Raman's discovery 'Raman Effect' in 1928.