Gangtok, Feb 6: The screening of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026’ was held on Friday at PM Shri Deorali Senior Secondary School in Gangtok. Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs and Law & Parliamentary Affairs, Raju Basnet, attended as the Chief Guest, while Minister-cum-Area MLA Arun Upreti was the Special Guest.
‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ is an annual initiative by the Government of India since 2018, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with students, teachers, and parents to address exam-related stress and the importance of holistic learning. The ninth edition of the event, held at the Prime Minister’s residence in New Delhi, focused on practical knowledge, extracurricular activities, and life skills alongside academic learning. Students were encouraged to read biographies of public figures to understand resilience and overcoming setbacks.
Representing Sikkim among 37 participants, Shriya Pradhan, a Class X student and School Prefect of Government New Secondary School, Namchi, took part in the 2026 edition.
In his keynote address, Raju Basnet highlighted the registration process for ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’, noting that registrations open in December, followed by selection of participants. He underlined the importance of skill-based learning and announced that the Government of Sikkim will soon introduce practical and professional skills workshops at PM Shri Schools. He also mentioned the ongoing NEET and JEE coaching classes and the Chief Minister’s Mentorship Scheme, which aims to improve Class X board exam results through intensive mentoring.
Basnet commended PM Shri Deorali Senior Secondary School for its outstanding results, with a pass percentage of 98.55 percent in Class X and 98.86 percent in Class XII last year. Speaking about the Chief Minister’s Model School in Assam Lingzey, he said the institution focuses on developing one life skill, one vocational skill, and one sport per student from a young age.
During the programme, scholarships under the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme were also presented to 90 students. Among them, 65 were admitted to Chief Minister’s Model School, Assam Lingzey; five to TNA; ten to Scindia Kendra Vidyalaya, Gwalior; and ten students of Class IX and above to Pinegrove School, Himachal Pradesh.
The programme began with a welcome address by Principal Anita Kaphley and concluded with a vote of thanks by Joint Director, Scholarship Section, Education Department, Pempa Lhamu Bhutia. Other attendees included Chairman of the Student Welfare Board Sonam Chopel; Principal Secretary, Education Department, Sandeep Tambe; Secretary, Higher Education, Tashi Chopel Lepcha; Director of Chief Minister’s Model School, Ujjwal Khatiwada; senior officers of the Education Department; school staff; and parents of the scholarship recipients.
