EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

IN PRISONS

GROUP NO. 1(ROLL NO. 901- 914)

EDUCATION OF PRISONERSEducation is vital for the overall development of prisoners.

Through education their outlook, habits and total perspective of life can be changed. Education of prisoners benefits the society as well as it leads to their rehabilitation and self-sufficiency.

Education reduces the tendency to crime.

To channelize prisoners’ energies into constructive and creative

Pursuits.

Instilling in them a sense of confidence.

Developing amongst them social responsibility and

consciousness.

Fostering amongst them habits and attitudes necessary for

adjusting in the community.

Creating amongst them an awareness of the futility of leading a

criminal life and uplifting them morally, mentally and socially.

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES IN TIHAR JAILSBoth adult and formal education arrangements have been made for prisoners.

Educational activities are looked after with the help of Government resources as well as NGO's participation.

Study Centres of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi and National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Delhi are established at Tihar Prisons in which about 2640 & 1900 inmates students are enrolled respectively. 

Computer training centers are also working in the Prisons for imparting computer education to the prisoners.

The most important aspect of the education system in Tihar Jail is that educated prisoners voluntarily teach less educated prisoners.

An illiterate person landing in Tihar Jail can look forward to being literate if his stay is more than a week.

Contd..

FORMAL SCHOOLING BEGINS IN TIHAR ON 15 JUNE 1994Moral education

Social studies

Basic functional literacy

Languages like Hindi, Urdu,

Punjabi, Sanskrit, French, Persian

&Swahili 

Capsule computer courses of six months duration

Bachelor of Arts/ Commerce/Preparatory Program

Diploma in Creative Writing in Hindi/English,

Certificate in Human Rights, Masters in

Tourism/Management/Computers Post -Graduate

Diploma in Distance Education

Vocational classes in English/Hindi typing

PRESENT SCENARIO

2009- Besides giving better living conditions, the Tihar Jail authorities (South Asia’s largest complex prison) believe education may help reduce crime and instill prudence among the prisoners.A case in point is Nalini Sriharan, imprisoned in 1991 for assassinating Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minster of India. She became the first prisoner to get a Master’s degree with distinction in computer applications (MCA) from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in 2009, while serving a jail term!

2011- Tihar jail launches literacy initiative "Padho aur Padhao" scheme with National Literacy Mission.

2013- For spreading the Gandhian Philosophy, a Gandhi Centre has been established by Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti,Government of India at IGNOU ward. More than 500 books on Gandhian philosophy were added to the library. Some of the inmates who joined the path of  'Reformation through Education' have been successfully rehabilitated.

There is a proven co-relation between illiteracy, innumeracy and offending and maximum number of the prisoners are illiterate in India. Education system in prisons enable the inmates to gain skills and qualifications which helps them to resettle in the society. A research says that the prisoners who get education inside the prisons after release are less likely to re-offend.

In furtherance of this, steps are taken by the government and both adult and formal education arrangements have been made for the prisoners in India with the help of governmental resources and NGOs participation.

Study centers of INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

(IGNOU) and NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OPEN SCHOOLING(NIOS) were establish in Tihar jail and many other prisons in India to provide education to the prisoners.

FACILITIES OF SCHOOLS, COLLEGESPROVIDED TO THE PRISONERS

INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY(IGNOU)

The Indira Gandhi National Open University, known as IGNOU, is a distance learning national university located in IGNOU road, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, India.

The university was established in 1985.

IGNOU, the largest university in the world with 4,000,000 students, was founded to impart education by means of distance and open education.

This university is providing several graduate, post graduate and diploma courses to the

able prisoners in India.

The university also provides degrees and certificates to the passing candidates after there release.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OPEN SCHOOLING(NIOS)

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), is the Board of Education for Distance education, under the Union Government of India.

This institute was established in 1989.

The NIOS is a national board that administers examinations for Secondary and Senior Secondary examinations of open schools similar to the CBSE and the CISCE.

This institute is the largest open schooling system in the world provides various courses /programs to the prisoners like: Primary, Secondary and Senior Secondary education, Vocational Education courses and Life Enrichment Programs.

Expenditure on fees for IGNOU / NIOS courses is borne by the Government. Study material like note-books, pens etc. is also being provided free of cost to inmate students.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING & RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS

Vocational education (education based on occupation or employment) (also known as vocational education and training or VET) is education that prepares people for specific trades, crafts and careers at various levels.

Vocational Training like pen manufacturing, book binding, manure making, screen printing, envelope making, tailoring and cutting, shoe-making, creative art therapy etc. are given to the prisoners so that they cant rehabilitate themselves in the society after their release.

RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS The prisoner's participation in games and sports like volleyball, cricket, basketball,

kho-kho, kabbaddi, chess, carom etc. are organized during winter sports festivals, which are popularly known in the jail as "Tihar Olympics".

Inter jail cultural meets in which competitions in music, dance, sher-o-shairi, quawali, painting, quiz etc. are organized for inmates.

All Religious and National festivals are celebrated by one and all inside the prisons. On Republic Day and Independence Day National Flag is hoisted in all the prisons. This is a big occasion which helps the jail administration to convey to the prisoners that "We Care".

MY SUGGESTIONS Education of illiterate adolescents and adult prisoners shall be compulsory.

Because of wide variations in intelligence level and individual interests of inmates, it is essential to organize diverse educational programs to suit the needs of the larger groups.

Educational programs should cover subjects which would help to develop the inmate as affective members of social

groups.

Non-Governmental Organizations should be extensively involved in the educational programs.

Proper check on implementation of governmental policies regarding prison development

Media should be allowed to enter inside the prisons.