A modern library established in a tribal-dominated village in Gujarat’s Surat district has become a vital educational hub for students from nearly 20 nearby villages preparing for competitive exams. The library, situated in Nani Bhatlav village of Bardoli taluka, was initiated in 2021 by the village’s young sarpanch, Ankit Chaudhary, to offer study facilities to local youth, especially those with limited access to educational resources. Financial aid from the state government’s ‘Vatan Prem Yojana’ and a donation from non-resident Indian (NRI) Pratap Pandya helped upgrade the library to a newly constructed two-storey building.
The upgraded library now operates 24/7, providing free access to books, seating, and WiFi for online studies. Students from neighboring villages utilize the facility extensively to prepare for government recruitment and other competitive exams. Nishchal Chaudhary, a student from Vadhvaniya village, highlighted the library’s significance for government job aspirants, emphasizing the round-the-clock access to study materials without any charges.
The library also organizes competitive test sessions to simulate exam conditions for candidates. Shweta Chaudhary, another student benefiting from the facility, praised the free 24-hour seating arrangement for both genders and the availability of necessary study materials. Village sarpanch Ankit Chaudhary mentioned that the library can accommodate 123 students and attracts visitors from 15 to 20 villages regularly. The library management even arranges transportation for students appearing for exams in distant cities like Surat, Ahmedabad, and Gandhinagar.
More than 100 students visit the library daily, with plans underway to construct a hostel for students traveling from far-off villages to ensure uninterrupted preparation. Notably, numerous students who utilized the library’s resources in recent years have successfully secured jobs in both government and private sectors after clearing various competitive exams.
