SOCIETY

Jail inmates appear for school examinations

     Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh: As a reform measure, 154 out of 1200 inmates of Ambikapur Central Jail in Chhattisgarh were encouraged to study and appear for the fifth and eighth standards examinations. Truly they must have felt a sense of achievement. The eighth standard examinations are conducted by the State Education Board and it is for the for the first time that a centre has been set up within the jail premises. Out of the total 154 inmates who appeared for exams, 74 appeared for the fifth standard while the rest 80 appeared for the eighth standard examinations. One of the prisoner who appeared for the exam is 60-year-old Kunjbehari Sao. He is in jail for the past three years, convicted for killing his daughter-in-law. Despite the handicap of age and the guilt of past misdeeds, he wanted to be literate and prove that one can reform at any age. Thus this sexagenarian became a student of the jail school. "I thought that I should at least learn to sign and write letters. I want to become a literate," said Sao. Prisoners interested in studies are taught by the government school teachers at a class room within the jail premises from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Study materials are also provided by the jail authorities. The teachers who have taught these inmates dismissed the myth about prisoners being rough and ill-mannered. "It is exciting to teach in a jail. There is a myth that jail inmates are very harsh. It has been two years since I have been teaching here, but I had no bad experience," said Anand Kumar Ekka, a government school teacher, and examination superintendent for jail. Reviewing these developments, the jail authorities said that the examinations do not hamper the normal jail routine. "I am sure that 80 inmate-students appearing for eighth standard examination is a new thing for all the jails in the state. Earlier, such a large number of inmates did not appear for exams." said Kiran Sujoria, the Jail Superintendent. The inmates who pass the first standard get a 10-days reduction in their sentence and those who clear above first standard get a 20-days remission. The jail also has one student pursuing post graduation and he is due to appear for his final examinations. There is one inmate pursuing a course in journalism too.
-Mar 27, 2007    

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