New Delhi, September 5, 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged teachers to remain vigilant against drug addiction among students and help children reduce excessive screen time by encouraging sports, physical play and creative activities.
Interacting with National Teachers’ Awards winners on Friday, on the eve of Teachers’ Day, Modi asked teachers to preserve childhood, nurture children’s natural curiosity and find creative ways to make classroom learning more engaging. He stressed that teachers must look beyond academic performance and pay close attention to students’ behaviour and everyday lives.
Teachers’ Role Goes Beyond The Classroom
The Prime Minister said teachers have an increasingly important role in children’s lives as joint family set-ups become less common. His remarks underline a wider responsibility for teachers, who are often well placed to notice changes in a child’s behaviour that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Speaking about drugs, Modi said that in some big cities and universities, it can be difficult to identify whether someone has been affected by the problem because “no one knows who gives whom what”.
“In these circumstances, teachers should take the initiative for awareness and also observe minutely if any change (in behaviour) is witnessed in any child,” he said.
A video of the interaction, held at the Prime Minister’s Lok Kalyan Marg residence, was released on Saturday.
‘Do Not Allow Childhood To Die’
Modi urged teachers to become involved in students’ lives beyond books and syllabuses.
“You should not allow the childhood of a student to die. The biggest contribution can be given by the teachers by keeping childhood alive in students’ lives,” he said.
The Prime Minister also spoke about keeping students away from long hours of screen time and encouraging them to participate in outdoor sports.
He said children have the same basic nature and curiosity, and teachers can make a significant contribution to their development by nurturing and properly channelling that curiosity.
Screen Time A Growing Concern
Modi said screen time has become a major concern among students. He urged teachers to speak to parents about how much time their children spend on screens and whether they continue using mobile phones late at night.
He said screen time could be reduced naturally by developing children’s interest in sports, physical games and creative activities. The approach puts the emphasis on giving children engaging alternatives rather than merely restricting their access to screens.
Referring to the National Education Policy, Modi stressed the importance of taking children outside classrooms and connecting them with real-world skills and different forms of work, PTI reports.
Breast Cancer Awareness Efforts Praised
The Prime Minister also praised a teacher who spoke about creating breast cancer awareness among women in her vicinity. Modi said he had launched a breast cancer awareness campaign in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency.
“I am happy to share with you that more and more women are coming forward for screening (for breast cancer), even setting a Guinness World Record for it,” he said.
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82 Teachers And Educators Selected For Awards
This year, 82 teachers and educators have been selected for the National Teachers’ Awards across three departments.
The group includes 48 teachers from the Department of School Education and Literacy, 21 teachers and faculty members from higher educational institutions and polytechnics, and 13 skill trainers from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
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