The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Where prisoners enjoy the freedom to learn

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 24, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Where prisoners enjoy the freedom to learn

Staff Reporter

NOVEL INITIATIVE: Inmates of Bangalore Central Prison help fellow prisoners become literate. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: Behind the imposing stone walls of the Bangalore Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara, a quiet transformation has taken place.

In the first initiative of its kind, 84 inmates have helped 857 fellow prisoners become literate as part of a three-month Kannada literacy programme.

The new literates, including 40 women, would receive certificates from Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, said Deputy Inspector-General of Prisons B.S. Abbai, during a tour of the prison organised for presspersons on Tuesday.

As many as 142 prisoners, including six women, will also take up distance education courses such as bachelor's degrees in arts, science and commerce from the Bangalore University in the coming academic year, he said.

The prisoners will get books and course material free and do not have to pay fees.

At present, 18 prisoners are pursuing various courses under the Karnataka State Open University, and three under the Indira Gandhi National Open University. One person was pursuing an MBBS degree, Mr. Abbai said.

Counselling centre

The prison would get a Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centre, said Shashikala, head of the centre. Plans are afoot to conduct awareness camps on HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The prison has a capacity to keep only 2,100 inmates, but there are 4,815 inmates now. To avoid overcrowding, three barracks would be built at the 42- acre prison at a cost of Rs. 2.64 crore, Mr. Abbai said.

The Prisons Department was looking at installing mobile jammers within the prison and Bharat Electronics might come forward to install these, he said.

In a novel gesture, the Akhila Karnataka Savita Samaja gave 50 prisoners a haircut and clean shave free of cost.

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