The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to provide free coaching to poor but meritorious Class XI students in the civic area.

The free coaching is available for eligible students in all 42 wards of the SMC and will be held at Siliguri Boys’ High School.

The initiative has been named Alor Dishari and the coaching will be available four days a week. “Students can approach us for coaching in the subjects they face difficulties in. We will try to arrange classes on specific subjects, too,” said Ranjoy Das, convener, Alor Dishari.

At the moment, a pool of 26 teachers has been created.

Plans are afoot to set up two tuition batches for the Bengali medium and one each for the English and Hindi mediums. “We are looking to create a batch with 200 students. So far, 77 students have enrolled for the service,” said a source.

Sources said the initiative to start the free coaching for Class XI students was being taken on the lines of similar service for Class IX and X students that had started in May 2023.

“The Class XI tuition will start after Madhyamik examinations are over,” said a source.

Mayor Gautam Deb requested teachers to scout for more students to avail themselves of the facility.

“There is no separate campaign for this coaching centre, therefore, schools are requested to encourage needy students to take free coaching,” said Deb.

Sources said 77 students had enrolled for Class IX and X coaching with 26 students appearing for the current Madhyamik examinations.

There are 34 schools in the SMC area.