Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday exhorted students to take responsibility for protecting public property, saying such assets are the result of collective efforts and damaging them is harming the nation.

Addressing a state-level event to honour meritorious students and distribute school sports awards, he said, "Public property is not private property -it is built through the contribution of the entire society. If anyone damages it, they are harming the nation. Such acts must be stopped, reported, and exposed."

Adityanath called on students to take action by recording and reporting those who damage public property.

"You all have mobile phones. If you see anyone destroying government property, film it and make it viral. We will ensure the person is identified through posters and recovery is made from them," he said.

He praised the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Board for successfully conducting "cheating-free" exams and highlighted major reforms in the state's education system since 2017.

"Earlier, mass cheating had become a business in the name of education.People would fill exam forms and hire someone else to take the exams. Results would be sent home along with certificates. It was a complete fraud," he said.

Taking on previous governments in the stat e, Adityanath credited his government for shutting down such illegal activities and building a transparent, fair examination system.

He pointed out that examinations, which once took two to three months, now conclude in just 13 days.

"Examinations should not be a medium to harass students, but to assess and prepare them to face life's challenges with a competitive spirit," he said, encouraging students to read Prime Minister Narendra Modi's book "Exam Warriors".

He also lauded the state's strides in government employment, noting that over eight lakh youths have been given jobs through transparent recruitment.

"We're no longer a 'BIMARU' state. Uttar Pradesh has transformed into the new face of a new India," he added.

The CM further called for value-based education. "Along with education, students must cultivate respect for elders, parents, teachers, society and the nation. That is true character," he said.