Surat, May 28 (IANS): A modern library established in a tribal-dominated village in Gujarat’s Surat district under the state government’s ‘Vatan Prem Yojana’ has emerged as a major educational support centre for students from nearly 20 surrounding villages preparing for competitive examinations.
The library, located in Nani Bhatlav village of Bardoli taluka, was initially started in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic by the village’s young sarpanch, Ankit Chaudhary, in a dilapidated community hall using his own resources.
The initiative aimed to provide study facilities to local youth, many of whom had limited access to educational infrastructure.
The project later received financial support under the state government’s ‘Vatan Prem Yojana’, through which non-resident Indian (NRI) Pratap Pandya donated Rs seven lakh.
The state government also provided a grant of Rs 10.5 lakh, after which the library was shifted to a newly constructed two-storey building.
The library now operates around the clock and provides free access to books, seating, and WiFi for online studies.
Students from nearby villages regularly use the facility to prepare for government recruitment and other competitive examinations.
Nishchal Chaudhary, a student from nearby Vadhvaniya village, said the library had become an important resource for aspirants preparing for government jobs.
“I come from the nearby village of Vadhvaniya. I have been preparing for a government job for the past year. The library is extremely useful. Since I joined, the library has remained open 24 hours a day, with no charges. No fee is collected for it, and whatever books we need for studying are made available to us,” he said.
Students said the library also conducts competitive test sessions to familiarise candidates with examination conditions.
Shweta Chaudhary, another student using the facility, said, “If we talk about facilities in the library, there is a 24-hour free seating facility available for both girls and boys. Whatever books are needed are made available whenever required. Competitive tests related to various exams are also conducted here. The same experience that we get while sitting in an examination hall is recreated here as well.”
According to village sarpanch Ankit Chaudhary, the library currently has a seating capacity of 123 students and receives visitors from around 15 to 20 villages on a regular basis.
“At present, our library has a capacity of 123 students. Students from around 15 to 20 villages regularly come to our library. We have provided facilities like WiFi and all the required books for them. Since the students’ examination centres are located as far as Surat, Ahmedabad, and Gandhinagar, we also arrange transportation for them from the library side,” he said.
More than 100 students visit the library every day, according to local authorities.
A hostel is also being constructed for students travelling from distant villages so that they can stay in the village and continue their preparations without disruption.
Several students who studied at the library over the past few years have secured jobs in the government and private sectors after clearing different competitive examinations.
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This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.