Government Spends ₹25.2 Crore on ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’, 2,500% Increase in 6 Years

Government Spends ₹25.2 Crore on ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’, 2,500% Increase in 6 Years

Government spends ₹25.2 crore on ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’, marking a 2,500% increase in just 6 years, according to new expenditure data.

The budget of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’, which commenced with Rs 3.67 crore in 2018, has risen over fivefold to Rs 18.82 crore in 2025.

New Delhi: The budget allocated by the government for the annual ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ initiative, which involves Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s engagement with school children, has risen more than fivefold over the past seven years.

In 2018, the expenditure for the inaugural edition of this programme was Rs 3.67 crore, which surged to Rs 18.82 crore by 2025. This represents a staggering increase of 522% over the last seven years.

At a time when significant educational schemes are grappling with what the government claims are financial constraints – putting the futures of thousands of students in uncertainty – the installation of selfie points featuring Modi’s photographs has been carried out nationwide under the ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ initiative. In the 2023 and 2024 programmes alone, 1,111 selfie points were established across the country, incurring an expenditure of Rs 2.49 crore excluding the Goods and Services Tax.

Rather than addressing the challenges that students in India today encounter immediately after completing school – such as issues related to paper leaks or the need for transparency in the examination system – the programme focuses on delivering speeches to students, in addition to selfies with the PM’s still images.

Although it is an educational programme, Pariksha Pe Charcha fundamentally revolves around events. The expenses associated with such event management have been escalating annually, reaching Rs 6.5 crore in 2024.

It is noteworthy also that each Pariksha Pe Charcha is a single-day programme. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fourth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha took place online on April 7, 2021. As per a release from the Press Information Bureau, on that day, PM Modi ‘motivated students and their families’ through an online address ‘in light of the challenges presented by the pandemic’. Nevertheless, Rs 6 crore was allocated for that online event, specifically for the prime minister’s speech.

Caption – Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaging with students online during Pariksha Pe Charcha 2021 incurred an expenditure of Rs 6 crore for this singular program. Photo: PIB.

As such, the expansion of this programme appears to serve the prime minister’s publicity vehicle.

Meanwhile, the budget for the initiatives under the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Union education ministry, which includes the National Means Cum Merit Scholarship Scheme and the Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme, has seen a decline. The projected budget for these Union government schemes in 2018-19 was Rs 559.55 crore, which has been reduced to Rs 429.00 crore in 2025-26. This indicates a reduction of approximately 23.2%.

In addition, the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) has been suspended since 2021 over a review. This examination had been conducted since 1963 and annually provided around 2,000 meritorious Class 10 students with monthly scholarships and mentorship up to the postgraduate level.

Also citing review, the scholarship for numerous researchers from minority communities pursuing their PhDs under the Maulana Azad National Fellowship has been halted since December 2024. This scholarship is administered by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Due to a purported lack of funds, the Union government has also ceased the scholarship for overseas studies for approximately 60% of students from underprivileged communities.

In essence, the initiatives that have been directly supporting students are struggling, while the government is allocating crores of rupees to promote PM Modi through iterations of a one-day programme.

Why was ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ started?

This annual initiative led by PM Modi aimed at engaging with students, parents, and teachers. It commenced on February 16, 2018. The primary goal was to alleviate exam-related stress, encourage students to adopt a positive mindset while preparing for exams, and convey the prime minister’s educational vision. PM Modi also has a book titled Exam Warriors, which offers advice to students on how to remain calm and composed during examinations.

Each year, this event is held at a large venue. Hundreds of thousands of students from across the nation participate, some online. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaging with students during the inaugural edition of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ in 2018. Photo: PIB.

Yearly expenses

The responses to an RTI application provided to The Wire Hindi by social activist Kanhaiya Kumar indicate the amount of money that was allocated for this event each year.

Union government’s allocation to ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ over the years

The government has allocated approximately Rs 70.88 crore for the eight editions so far.

Crores spent on selfie points

This allocation was typically towards areas such as event management, film production, and the selfie points.

As noted earlier, the government allocated Rs 2.49 crore (excluding GST) in 2023 and 2024 for the establishment of 1,111 selfie points nationwide for this initiative. This figure encompasses both 2D and 3D selfie points.

Cost of selfie points. Photo: RTI response.

The cost of setting up a 3D selfie unit amounts to Rs 1,25,000. Meanwhile, the price range for each 2D selfie unit varies from Rs 15,000 to Rs 21,000. These selfie units feature an image of PM Modi.

Clockwise from the top left, clockwise: 3D selfie point set up in JNV, Karimnagar, in Dumka, Jharkhand, in Varanasi and in Maharashtra. The Wire has blurred the images of minors in accordance with Indian laws.

In addition to this, millions of rupees are allocated annually for digital promotion, with the promotional materials predominantly featuring an image of PM Modi. The government has invested Rs 2.44 crore in the digital promotion of Pariksha Pe Charcha from 2021 to 2024.

The digital promotion of this event showcases the Prime Minister’s image in multiple formats.

How was the money spent?

While comprehensive details regarding the financial outlay for all editions are not accessible, some information is. For instance, substantial funds amounting to crores of rupees were allocated for the eighth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha, which took place at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi on February 10, 2025.

As per government reports, during this period, a total of Rs 14,21,99,125 was spent for event management, media production, ground activation, live streaming, and catering services, among other expenses. Besides, Rs 97,65,370 was spent on advertising, e-tendering, taxi services, student accommodations, bus transportation, book purchases, and travel arrangements, among other costs.

Besides, an amount of Rs 3,97,500 was spent on purchasing Modi’s book Exam Warriors for the 2021 initiative.

This total does not encompass the fees and taxes associated with Educational Consultants India Limited.

The government states that in Pariksha Pe Charcha, the responsibilities for event management, venue reservation, internet provision, mobile sanitation facilities, advertising, catering, audio-visual services, film production, social media marketing, and transportation are managed by external firms.

However, it has refused to disclose the invoices or bills detailing the payments made for each service.

The government said that it is not obligated to provide such information in accordance with Section 8(1)(d) and 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act, 2005, as this information falls under a fiduciary relationship. Revealing it could jeopardise commercial confidence, trade secrets, and competitive standing, it says.

Caption – Responses received from the government regarding requests for bills or invoices.

Rs 6.19 crore spent on the printing of certificates under the Digital India initiative

Furthermore, as per the information obtained by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, the government has spent Rs 6.19 crore solely on the printing of certificates for participants in the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme. These certificates could have been issued in a digital format, which would have significantly reduced government spending, particularly in light of the Union government’s decade-long promotion of ambitious initiatives such as ‘Digital India’. This expenditure has been revealed at a time when the 10th anniversary of the Digital India Mission, on July 1, is being commemorated. This was a mission that was designed to render government processes paperless, transparent, and cost-effective.

Response to Ajay Basudev Bose’s RTI application on the printing of certificates.

The government asserts that this initiative aims to alleviate student stress and enhance their morale. However, the escalating costs each year, along with the extensive promotional efforts, prompt one to question whether this truly serves as a forum for discussion or merely as a vehicle for promoting the prime minister.

Also Read : Income Tax Dept Releases ITR-2 and ITR-3 Excel Utilities for AY 2025-26