In the land of "quota politics", Patwatoli village of Bihar truly stands out to be an exception.
Unlike the champions of Mandalisation in polity, students here do not suffer from any "quota syndrome", which is often perceived as the only ladder for upward mobility for the Dalits and backwards.
Known as the IIT village of Bihar, success here is redefined as "where there is a will, there is a way ".
This Dalit village in Gaya district has 48 students who have made it to the IIT on merit, and not quota now applicable in premier institutions, in the past one decade. Four of them made it last year alone.
The village has perpetual power crisis but IIT aspirants study together and are coached by their successful seniors.
Santosh Kumar, who owns a small shop in Gaya, told The Tribune that the story began in 1992 when the first student from village had cleared the exams and there has been no looking back since. Santosh said, "The aspiring poor students here help their fathers in the shops to earn their livelihood on one hand, and prepare for the IIT entrance on the other".
