PM Modi Shares Positive Outlook on Age During Pariksha Pe Charcha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed discussions around age and leadership during his interaction with students at the ninth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha, sharing a personal anecdote about turning 75 that he said reflected his outlook on life and public service. His remarks came amid a long-running political debate over age and retirement norms within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking during the program, Modi recalled receiving a phone call from a leader on his birthday last September. Quoting the exchange, he said the caller pointed out that he had completed 75 years, to which he responded that “25 are still remaining.” The Prime Minister added that he does not focus on the years that have passed but instead counts the years still ahead, a statement delivered in Hindi and later shared in a video posted on X by Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

Modi’s comments drew attention because the BJP has historically followed an informal convention of leaders stepping back from active roles after the age of 75, though there have been notable exceptions. The discussion around his age intensified when he turned 75 in September 2025, with political observers questioning whether the convention would apply to the sitting prime minister.

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The debate gained further momentum following remarks made by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat at a book launch event in Nagpur in July 2025. Bhagwat had referred to a joke by late RSS ideologue Moropant Pingle, suggesting that being felicitated after turning 75 was society’s subtle signal to retire. The timing of the remarks, close to both Bhagwat’s and Modi’s 75th birthdays, fuelled speculation about leadership transition.

Opposition leaders seized on the comments to question consistency within the BJP. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi argued that senior leaders in the past were sidelined after crossing the age threshold and questioned whether the same standard would apply to the Prime Minister. These remarks reignited discussions around the BJP’s Margdarshak Mandal and past retirements of veteran leaders.

The BJP leadership, however, has repeatedly dismissed suggestions of Modi stepping down. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has stated that there is no retirement clause in the party’s constitution and that Modi would continue to lead through 2029. Senior leaders, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, have echoed this view, while the RSS later clarified that Bhagwat’s comments were anecdotal and not a call for retirement, reiterating that no such directive was ever intended.

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