Nalanda superintendent of police (SP) Kumar Ashish has launched a special drive under which the police will motivate parents of street children to get their wards admitted into nearby government schools.

The project is rightfully called "Chalo Pathshala' (come to school)" project. As part of community policing, SP Ashish, additional SP Nishit Priya and other police officers on Thursday visited the Government Middle School, Tungi, in Deepnagar, Nalanda district, and provided 89 newly admitted students schoolbags, books, pencils and other kits.

The students were picked up from roadside hotels, restaurants, rag-picking spots and stores near Nawada district. "The aim is to improve the quality of education in government schools and prepare students for various competitive exams," Ashish said.

Ashish, a 2012-batch IPS officer, said he would spend a couple of hours in schools to teach the students. "Apart from my official assignment, I will visit these schools during weekends and teach the students," he told The Telegraph over phone on Friday. "A similar exercise will be carried out by my subordinates. It hurts to see any child moving around aimlessly on the streets. So I decided to launch a project for such underprivileged kids."

Policemen interested in teaching have offered to render service for free, Ashish said.

Ashish, a postgraduate from Jawaharlal Nehru University, launched the project from Tungi village. Around 15km north of Biharsharif, the district headquarters town, and 100km east of Patna. Tungi earlier held the dubious distinction of being a haven for brewing country liquor.

"It's a privilege that the SP himself launched a project to educate children who are exploited by dhaba owners and history-sheeters," said Narmadeshwar Singh, a retired schoolteacher.

Ashish is, however, not the first to take such initiatives. Nishant Kumar Tiwary, a 2005-batch IPS officer, has launched Shaam ki Paathshala (evening school) in Purnea district, of which he is the SP. He spends a couple of hours at these schools after work.

"Such centres are located in remote villages like Harda and Baisi. I go to these villages to teach students and adults," Tiwari told The Telegraph.

The Purnea SP said some non-government organisations and social workers have been engaged to run the evening schools. "Even local police officers visit the centres and teach in the evening," Tiwari said. He said the motive was to bring underprivileged children and adults into the mainstream.

IAS officers are not lagging behind. Patna district magistrate Sanjay Agrawal had recently taught students of Bankipore Girls High School in Patna.