The Delhi branch of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, a free residential institute for underprivileged children, will start functioning from this academic session.

An MoU to this effect was signed between Lalmalsawma, Principal Secretary, Welfare of SC/ST/OBC/Minorities,Government of Delhi and R N Dash, Secretary, KISS in New Delhi yesterday, a release from the institute here said. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Achyut Samanta, Founder of KIIT & KISS, were among the distinguished persons present on the occasion.

The school will impart education to 1,200 children, belonging to SC, ST, minorities, orphans and other underprivileged sections of society, as per CBSE syllabus.

The Delhi Government has allotted about 20 acres of land with 2 lakh square feet of built up area in Najafgarh for the purpose, the release said. All recurring and nonrecurring cost of the Delhi branch will be borne by Government of NCT of Delhi.