Bhubaneswar, June 14: As the clock strikes five in the evening, the E block of the Institute of Technical Education and Research comes alive with the chatter of children rushing into the smart classrooms.

They settle down on the benches as members of Jaago, a social club comprising students of the institute, teach them a variety of subjects.

Each student takes care of two children and takes classes for about one and a half hours.

An engineering classroom turns into a place where elementary arithmetic and English is taught.

For around 100 students of the institute, teaching these kids from nearby slums at Gandamunda and Airport area has become a passion and this has been going on since past seven years.

"We do it because we love to do it. It gives us a lot of satisfaction," said Ankit Bhargav, a fourth-year student of electronics and communication engineering.

"We try to help the children, who are deprived of good education, so that they excel in their studies," Bhargav said.

A group of students of the institute, led by their peer Abhishek, had launched Jaago in 2007, under the guidance of additional dean R. K. Hota.

The institute is Siksha-O-Anusandhan University's faculty of engineering.

The varsity authorities had then agreed to throw open the classrooms for the children.

At present, around 120 children attend the classes, which are held six days a week.

They are picked up by a University-run bus from their locality and dropped back once the classes end.

The varsity authorities have chipped in by providing the children with snacks, milk or fruit juice on different days.

Each member of Jaago takes the classes on rotation for at least two days a week. But for many of them, it has become a habit to be present there on all six days.

"It gives me much ample satisfaction and happiness. I can also use this time to hang around with my friends, but it'll give me a sort of happiness that is nothing but transitory," said Upasana Mishra, a third- year ECE student.

"It's better to teach these children than spend time elsewhere," said Sweta Mishra, Upasana's classmate.

The engineering students also try to find out the needs of the children and meet the same.

They are now planning to start a playschool, as the children often accompany their elder siblings.

The idea has already received positive response from the university authorities.