JEE Advanced 2025: Bihar Labourers’ Son Defies Poverty, Vision Loss To Secure Top IIT Rank

Last Updated:June 03, 2025, 13:58 IST

Mantraj, from a poor family with parents working as labourers in a Surat cloth factory, overcame great odds to achieve success in the JEE Advanced exam

In a remarkable feat, Mantaraj, a resident of Gaya district in Bihar, has cleared the JEE Advanced examination with impressive success. Despite being physically challenged and having severely impaired vision, he secured the 81st rank in the OBC-PwD category, setting an inspiring example of grit and determination.

Mantaraj hails from Patwatoli in Gaya’s Manpur block, a village known for its tradition of ordinary families sending their children to IITs year after year.

Hailing from a financially weak background, with his parents working as labourers in a cloth factory in Surat, Mantraj overcame significant odds to achieve success. He completed his early education at Polytechnic High School in Manpur and pursued his intermediate studies at British English School.

His path to success began after matriculation when he joined ‘Vriksha Be The Change,’ a free coaching institute in Patwatoli. The institute provided him with all the necessary books and study materials free of cost. In addition to regular classes, he also benefited from group discussions, model papers and dedicated self-study sessions.

Dedicated to his goal, Mantraj devoted 6 to 8 hours daily to his studies. Due to his poor eyesight, he was granted an extra hour during exams. His eye condition, a problem since childhood, gradually worsened, but he never let it deter him from his dream of becoming an engineer.

Mantraj’s success has brought immense joy to his family, who supported his education with their earnings as labourers. His entire village shares in the pride of his accomplishment.

Ranjit Kumar and Chandrakant Pateshwari, founders of ‘Vriksha Be The Change,’ expressed their happiness at his achievement, noting his consistent academic excellence since matriculation.

Looking ahead, Mantraj aspires to attend a prestigious engineering college in India and fulfil his dream of becoming a successful engineer.

Location :

Gaya, India, India

First Published: