These budding engineers are shaping future of poor kids

Allahabad: As dusk falls, the lecture halls of MNNIT, the lone national institute of technology in the state, are abuzz with a unique academic activity.
For the last three years, a group of 50 budding engineers of MNNIT has been holding special classes for the children of economically weaker sections of the society. Some of these children are enrolled in government primary schools and take these classes for additional learning and personality development.
Associate professor in the department of electronic and communication at MNNIT Basant Kumar said, “The initiative was started three years ago by final year students when they started teaching the children of labourers working on the campus. Within next six months, teachers and students of other semesters and courses also joined them.”
Currently, around 200 students and volunteers share various responsibilities to teach about 70 students.
Kanad Kumar, a BTech student and an active member of the group, said: “Convincing the labourers on our campus was easy but when we approached residents of Kanshi Ram Awas Yojana, a nearby colony inhabited by poor families, initally they refused to cooperate but later they understood the importance of education.”
Initially apprehensive, the children too are enjoying the learning experience.
Amit, student of class 4 at a government school, said, “Initially, I was reluctant to join here but ‘bhaiya log’ (elder brothers) are different. They are not like teachers and are very friendly.”
Manya, a student of class 6, said the classes have everything. “From singing to painting, learning English and also how to present ourselves in the society and school, we learn everything. It is a boon for poor children like us,” she said.
Dhruv, a volunteer, said: “The children are divided into different groups (classes 1 to 12) which is based on the level of knowledge of individual student and not on the class they are enrolled in.”
The engineering students hold various responsibilities. While one group acts as academic coordinator, the other takes attendance and motivates parents. Another group ensures that the class has books and stationary.
Faculty members pool in money to ensure that the practice does not stop for dearth of funds.
Teachers also form a core group which designs the course content. Teachers also plan to computerise the course material.
As students pass out from the institute after completion of their course, teachers ensure there is a chain of volunteers which replaces the seniors, as they leave the campus.
The dedication of students can be gauged from the fact that around 20 students of various courses stay back during summer vacation just to complete the syllabus of their pupils who were appearing for UP Board class 10 and 12 examinations.
What motivates the children of poor families is the fact that their classes are held in the lecture halls of engineering college. “We are here to make their dreams come true as who knows some of them may become regular students of this institute in future,” said Anushree Ganguli, another student of MNNIT.
MNNIT director Rajeev Tripathi said, “The selfless service being done by the students not only gives them a sense of contentment but makes us feel proud. They have proved that we have been successful in making our students good engineers and better human beings.”