Gaya (Bihar), Apr 21 (PTI) Students of Patwa Toli, a village in Bihar’s Gaya district, excelled again as more than 40 engineering aspirants have cleared this year’s JEE Main exams, results for which were declared on April 19.

The village is home to about 21,000 people most of whom are dependent on weaving. But, besides its skilled weavers, Patwa Toli is also known for producing 15-20 IITians annually and has earned the sobriquet: ‘IIT Factory’.

“Despite financial hardships, the community’s unwavering dedication to education has created an inspiring legacy. Children of the villagers are reaching new heights through education,” Dugeshwar Prasad, president of the Vriksha Foundation, told PTI.

Vriksha Foundation is an NGO that helps students in their efforts to clear engineering entrance exams.

“With our financial and infrastructural support, more than 40 students from Patwa Toli alone have cleared this year’s JEE Main exams,” Prasad said.

All these students will now appear for the JEE Advanced examination scheduled to be held next month.

Top scorers from the village include Sharanya who obtained 99.64 per cent marks and Alok who bagged 97.7 per cent.

Besides, Shaurya (97.53 per cent), Yash Raj (97.38 per cent), Shubham (96.7 per cent), Pratik (96.55 per cent) and Ketan (96 per cent) also scored well.

The result brought smiles to the lips of the candidates and their families.

“Our primary goal is to educate students who are unable to attend school due to financial constraints. To ensure no child is deprived of learning, we provide notebooks, pens, pencils and books, making education accessible to all, regardless of age. Beyond academics, we focus on instilling values, ethics, and life skills to prepare students for a well-rounded future,” Prasad said. PTI COR PKD NN