New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday coined a term that could succinctly sum up …er many children across India – “PUBG-wala” – as he fielded questions on exam stress at
his “Pariksha Par Charcha 2.0”.
As a mother complained to the Prime Minister that her son was avoiding studies and was addicted to online games, PM Modi replied: “PUBG-wala hai kya? (is he a PUBG gamer?)”.
Relatable. The audience roared with laughter.
On a serious note, the Prime Minister said it was not good to dissuade children from technology. “Explore ways in which you encourage your children towards accepting and understanding
technology. But remember, technology should be used to expand our horizons, not to let it shrink us in our life. It should not be allowed to narrow us down, as that would be very harmful
for us,” he advised.
“Like everything else, technology too comes with its positives and negatives. As parents, we must guide our children to get the most from technology. Encourage their inquisitiveness on
learning about various apps… like how to build something, or cook something.”
He said if parents tried to make these efforts, children would hopefully move from “playstation to the playground”.
The hugely popular online multi-player game PUBG, or PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, has been banned in schools in PM Modi’s home state Gujarat. PUBG was launched in December 2017,
and has since acquired a massive fan base in India and worldwide.
A students’ body in Jammu and Kashmir has also asked for a ban on PUBG, blaming it for poor examination results.
