Students of Balchandra in Patna get comfortable on their new desks, on Tuesday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, Aug. 23: Students of Balchandra, a school for underprivileged children being run on the premises of Notre Dame Academy since 1998, will no longer have to sit on rugs and study.

Lions Club of Patna Favourite today donated 20 desks to Balchandra authorities to facilitate comfotable seating arrangement for students.

The president of Lions Club of Patna Favourite, Sumita Sahi, told The Telegraph: “Under the Right to Education Act, underprivileged children have the right to study and Notre Dame Academy is ensuring education of such children on the school premises. But it should also be ensured that everything required for their education is available so that lack of something does not hinder the education of the underprivileged students.”

Sahi said in the absence of desks at the school, some students had to sit on rugs. This prompted the club members to take the initiative to donate desks to the school.

Around 50 students of Balchandra can be accommodated on the 20 desks donated by Lions Club of Patna Favourite.

Sister Mary Tessy, the principal of Notre Dame Academy and in-charge of Balchandra, was also happy to see the efforts made by the club.

She said: “The members have done a good work and the children will be able to study more comfortably now. These children should in no way feel different from others. In future, more efforts would be made to ensure their comfort in school, so that they can study at ease.”

Reena Verma, a teacher at Balchandra, said: “It was good to see the children smiling today after the new desks arrived for them. Now, they will feel more comfortable and study with more enthusiasm.”