New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on Saturday, announced a new government initiative to provide free online coaching for a range of competitive examinations. The move, he said, is aimed at easing the financial pressure faced by middle-class and economically weaker families who spend heavily on private coaching.
Addressing the nation, Modi said the growing coaching culture had created a situation where parents often feel compelled to enrol their children in coaching centres simply to keep pace with others.
He said the government intends to use India’s existing digital infrastructure and the country’s pool of skilled teachers and educators to make quality preparation accessible without requiring students to leave their homes.
According to Modi, the initiative would also allow young people to continue their studies while remaining closer to their families. He said families could save substantial amounts of money that are otherwise spent on coaching and related expenses.
The announcement comes amid continuing concerns over competitive examinations, including complaints and protests related to examination irregularities. In recent weeks, students and young aspirants have raised their concerns at demonstrations in different parts of the country, including protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
PM Modi calls for greater youth participation in Census 2027
The Prime Minister also appealed to young Indians to contribute actively to the ongoing Census exercise, stressing that accurate population data is crucial for planning government policies and development programmes.
Calling for wider participation at the household level, Modi said even a small contribution of an hour or two could strengthen the country’s effort to collect reliable information.
He underlined that the Census should not be viewed merely as an exercise in counting people. The information gathered, he said, would help governments design welfare schemes, frame policies and prepare a development roadmap based on accurate data.
Modi urged young citizens to take responsibility for encouraging participation in their communities and helping create what he described as an “atmosphere of participation” around Census 2027.
PM Modi targets Naxal ideology, says Maoist violence nearing its end
In another significant part of his address, Modi spoke at length about the government’s fight against Maoist extremism and Naxal violence. He claimed that the movement, which had affected large parts of the country for decades, was now approaching its final phase.
He said thousands of security personnel had lost their lives while protecting civilians in areas affected by Maoist violence, describing the toll as comparable to losses suffered during wartime.
Recalling the government’s position since 2014, Modi said eliminating Naxal violence had been a key commitment of his administration. He pointed to areas that have moved away from insurgency and are now witnessing development after being freed from the influence of armed Maoist groups.
The Prime Minister also raised the issue of what he termed “dimagi Naxals” — people he accused of promoting Naxal or Maoist thinking through influence in institutions and policy-making spaces.
He alleged that individuals with such an ideological outlook had, for years, found positions within government committees and other influential circles, allowing their thinking to affect policy discussions.
Modi called for such elements to be identified and isolated, arguing that the fight against Maoism was not limited to armed insurgents but also involved confronting the ideology that, according to him, had contributed to the destruction of opportunities and futures for young people.
The three themes — affordable access to competitive-exam preparation, greater public involvement in the Census and the government’s campaign against Maoist extremism — featured prominently in the Prime Minister’s Independence Day message as he outlined priorities involving India’s youth, governance and internal security.
