CM Mohan Yadav shares childhood memories with students:Says he once sat on sacks in rented classrooms, now wants every child to access quality education

On the occasion of Children’s Day, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav interacted with schoolchildren during a Children’s Panchayat held at his residence in Bhopal. The event, organised by Dainik Bhaskar, featured children selected from various schools who asked the CM questions about his childhood, education, values, and political journey. Dr Yadav answered candidly, sharing personal anecdotes and lessons learned over the years. Now read the interesting QA between CM Dr. Mohan Yadav and school children in sequence- What were schools like when you were a child? I studied in a government school that didn’t even have its own building—it was in a rented one. I used to carry a sack from home to sit on. When it rained, our school declared a holiday, and I would return home with my feet half-submerged in water. I used to think that when I grew up and became part of this system, I would make all schools good. In my view, education, healthcare, and employment should be available to everyone. Earlier, government schools had no playgrounds or uniforms. We didn’t carry tiffins, but private school children did. We used to think they were better off because they had those things. Now, the situation has changed. Government schools have improved—mid-day meals, bicycles, laptops, and scooters are provided to students. There’s a school in Ujjain—Nalwa Higher Secondary—where students have secured top ranks in board exams. Many students from government schools are now cracking MPPSC and UPSC exams, which is a proud achievement. When you were little, what was your favourite game or toy?- (Anvi Bhargava, DPS Kolar, Class 7) I liked swimming. I used to go to the river to bathe every day, so swimming became my favourite activity. If a child says they want to join politics, what advice would you give them?- (Arya Batham, Sagar Public School, Class 9) Definitely do it. Politics is a matter of pride for our country. India is the world’s largest democracy. If we want to preserve it, young people must take responsibility and participate. Before independence, revolutionaries like Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, and Rajguru sacrificed their lives at a young age. They fought to free the country; now it’s our duty to keep it strong. This is the beauty of democracy—otherwise, we would face conditions like Pakistan or Bangladesh. Have you ever bunked your class?- (Riddhima Pawar, Mount Carmel School, Class 7) Never. In fact, I used to visit my teachers’ homes on Sundays and spent time with their families. Teachers are our guardians; we must not limit our relationship with them to the classroom. My parents weren’t very educated, so teachers became my mentors. I studied under many teachers who provided free coaching, including Anant Narayan Joshi Vaidya, brother of Congress leader Batukshankar Joshi. Which subject did you fear most? Did you ever fail?- (Anvesh Upadhyay, Sagar Public School, Class 10) I never failed, but I wasn’t a fan of rote learning. I studied with full concentration and believed in understanding rather than memorising. Students fear exams because they think studying means cramming. If you don’t understand something, ask your teacher again. A student who doesn’t ask questions can never be sure of what they’ve learned. Is there any life lesson from a teacher that helped you later?- (Pranshu Sharma, Sagar Public School, Class 11) Yes, many. During college elections, my professor Naveen Bhatnagar once told me, “You’ll become Chief Minister one day.” This was in 1982–83, about 40 years ago! I still wonder what he saw in me. A good teacher can see our potential long before we do. Did you dream of becoming Chief Minister as a child?- (Janhvi Vishwakarma, Sandipani School, Class 10) Not at all. When my teacher used to say I would become CM, I couldn’t believe it. No one in my family was in politics. I remember travelling by roadways bus during higher secondary school. Our MLA, Uday Singh Pandya, was also on that bus. He told the conductor not to take tickets from two of us because MLAs had the privilege to carry two passengers free. That’s when I first understood what an MLA was. You are a wrestler, doctor, professor, and now CM. Which is your favourite profession?- (Ishant Patel, Sandipani School, Govindpura) I’m not a professor, but I love reading and writing. Whenever I get time, I read good books and write in my diary. Writing helps us remember our thoughts and learn from them later. Did you have a favourite cartoon as a child?- (Anvi Bhargava, DPS Kolar, Class 7) We didn’t have cartoons then. Instead, we watched Ramlila and Ramayana programmes. During Ganesh Utsav, we used to showcase our talents—I even learned a few magic tricks for fun! If you get a day off, what would you do? For me, holidays don’t mean much. My family doesn’t live here, one son is in hostel, another in Ujjain, and my daughter is married. Like Prime Minister Modi ji, who hasn’t taken a single day off in over 24 years, I believe in working daily. Work is like eating or sleeping, it should be a part of life. What is the best part of your daily routine? Meeting children. Wherever I go, interacting with students gives me immense happiness. If you were made Prime Minister, what would you do?