The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Monday launched a free coaching facility for meritorious students who are from economically weaker families.

The facility, sources said, will be run at Siliguri Boys’ High School, a prominent educational institution in the city in association with teachers of different schools.

“The idea is to extend help to meritorious students of our place who get less opportunity because of the economic conditions of their families. Teachers from various schools in Siliguri will teach them in a regular manner. It is entirely a free facility and initially, coaching classes would be available for English and science subjects for students who are in ninth and tenth standards,” said Gautam Deb, the mayor.

Named “Alor Dishari,” the initiative will help students studying in Bengali and Hindi medium schools in the city.

“From each of the 42 wards, the local councillors will recommend names of four students — two each from classes IX and X — who are meritorious but cannot afford to take tuitions. The teachers will provide coaching on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,” said a source.

Each class will have three tuition batches for Bengali medium schools and one batch for Hindi medium schools.

Altogether, 25 teachers from different schools will take the classes.