From Tea Stall to IIT Bombay: Tamil Nadu Government School Girl Cracks JEE Advanced with Help from Naan Mudhalvan Scheme
In an inspiring display of resilience and determination, Yogeshwari Selvam, a student from a modest government school in Padanthal, Virudhunagar district, has secured admission to IIT Bombay, one of India’s most prestigious engineering institutes. Despite economic challenges, she cracked the JEE (Advanced) examination on her first attempt — without any private coaching.
Dreaming Big from a Small Town
Yogeshwari, whose father works at a local tea stall and mother at a fireworks unit, dreamt of becoming an aerospace engineer since she was in Class VII. “Somehow, I developed an interest in this discipline,” she recalls. That passion helped her overcome the odds stacked against her.
Her journey took a transformative turn during Class XII when she attended the Kalloori Kanavu program, a career guidance initiative under the Naan Mudhalvan scheme launched by the Tamil Nadu government. Until then, she hadn’t even heard of the JEE exam — the gateway to India’s elite IITs.
“We were told that working a little harder could help us give wings to our dreams. Getting into institutions like IIT would be a big leap,” she said.
Special Coaching Through Government Support
Yogeshwari was one of 230 government school students selected for a special coaching camp under the Naan Mudhalvan scheme, supervised by the Virudhunagar Collector V.P. Jeyaseelan. An education expert spotted her potential in mathematics and recommended her for the residential training program in Erode.
Though initially hesitant, her parents agreed to send her for the 40-day crash course after Plus Two exams. It turned out to be the only formal coaching she received. Despite having studied in Tamil medium throughout her schooling, Yogeshwari picked up English technical terms during the training, enabling her to confidently face the JEE (Advanced).
Cracking JEE and Earning National Recognition
Yogeshwari's hard work bore fruit when she secured the 75th rank in the differently-abled category (under the non-creamy layer of the OBC community). She was honored by Collector Jeyaseelan, who also offered her ₹5,000 from the Collector’s discretionary fund and assured that the Tamil Nadu government would fund her entire education at IIT Bombay.
She credited the ‘Coffee with Collector’ initiative — where she got to meet the Collector and other officials — as a major source of motivation. “It was the first time someone told us that we belonged in places like IIT,” she said.
Eyes Set on ISRO
Yogeshwari is now gearing up to pursue aerospace engineering at IIT Bombay, with a long-term goal of joining the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Her journey stands as a testament to how vision, government support, and personal determination can transform lives. It also highlights the growing impact of schemes like Naan Mudhalvan in nurturing hidden talent across rural India.