In a remarkable achievement, more than 40 students from Patwa Toli—a village in Bihar’s Gaya district famously known as ‘India’s IIT Village’—have cleared the JEE Main 2025 exam. Of these, 28 students are from Vriksha Sansthan, a free coaching initiative led by former IITians.
A Legacy of Aspiration and Achievement
Patwa Toli, once known as the ‘Manchester of Bihar’ for its thriving textile industry, has transformed into a hub of academic excellence. The village’s IIT journey began in 1991 when Jitendra Patwa became the first from the area to enter an IIT. Now settled in the U.S., he supports students back home through his NGO, Vriksh We The Change.
Today, education has become a new identity for the weaving community, with every other household boasting an engineering student.
Top Scorers This Year Include:
- Sharanya – 99.64 percentile
- Alok – 97.7 percentile
- Shaurya – 97.53 percentile
- Yash Raj – 97.38 percentile
- Shubham – 96.7 percentile
- Pratik – 96.35 percentile
- Ketan – 96.00 percentile
- Nivas – 95.7 percentile
- Gaurika Yadav – 95.1 percentile
- Sagar Kumar – 94.8 percentile
Most of these students were trained at Vriksha Sansthan, which has offered free coaching, books, and study materials since 2013.
How Vriksha Sansthan is Empowering Dreams
Run by IIT alumni, Vriksha Sansthan uses a library model to conduct online classes taught by IIT graduates based in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. The initiative is specifically designed for students from financially weaker backgrounds, especially children of weavers who cannot afford private coaching or relocation.
“This village used to be known for its weavers,” said Dubeshwar Prasad, President of the Vriksh Veda Chain. “Now, it’s called the village of IITians.”
The free coaching initiative has opened up new opportunities not only for boys but also for girls, many of whom are now being encouraged to pursue higher education and step beyond the village for a better future.
Beyond IIT: Aspirations Growing Wider
In addition to JEE preparation, a growing number of students from Patwa Toli are also aiming for medical careers through NEET, reflecting the village’s broader educational transformation.
