New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) Parents should stop using their children's report card as their own "visiting cards" at social gatherings, Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised parents, cautioned them against linking one's child's academic performance to one's social standing.

Addressing about 2,000 students and teachers here on Tuesday in his second 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' interaction in two years, Modi asked students not to take depression lightly and seek counselling if required.

During his second pre-exam interaction with them, the Prime Minister advised students to write their troubles down on a paper and confide in their friends to keep depression at bay.

"No one should take depression lightly, neither parents nor students nor teachers. They should give it utmost priority," he said.

The Prime Minister also said that students must be clear about what they want to become or achieve in life, and not just take admission in any course or college. "If that happens the graduate-making factories will keep producing graduates who would not know what to do with their lives," he said.

The Prime Minister responded to questions of students from several countries such as Nepal, Russia, Nigeria and Kuwait. Students' queries were posed to him in the form of pre-recorded videos. However, a couple of students who were among the attendees could not get through to the PM despite shouting "sir" several times.

One of the students, who was from Central Hindu School, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, was made to sit down by his teachers and other officials when he stood up to ask a question.

The interaction was live-streamed in all government schools of the country.

-- IANS
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