HYDERABAD: For many prison inmates, the road back to society begins with a second chance. In Telangana, that chance will now come with textbooks, classrooms and the possibility of a qualification they may have missed out on. The Telangana Prisons Department, in collaboration with the Telangana Open School Society (TOSS), has launched an Open Schooling Programme, allowing inmates to pursue Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Intermediate courses while serving their sentences.
The programme aims to make education accessible to inmates across age groups, with no upper age limit for admission. Study materials, academic support and regular classes will be provided on Sundays and second Saturdays. Those who complete Intermediate will also be able to pursue higher education, subject to the prescribed admission requirements.
The response has been encouraging. For the current academic year, 70 prisoners have expressed interest in enrolling for SSC and another 15 for Intermediate courses, taking the initial number of prospective students to 85.
For Principal Secretary to Government, Education Department, Yogita Rana, the initiative is about more than academic qualifications. Addressing the gathering, she said education builds confidence, self-respect and the ability to face life’s challenges. She announced a concession of `1,250 towards the course fee exclusively for prison inmates and offered support in sponsoring and establishing libraries in prisons to encourage reading and self-learning.