Indore: Here is good news coming straight out of Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University for men and women behind bars. The university, which had been established to reach hitherto unreached students residing in the rural and tribal regions of MP for providing them education through the distance mode, has now decided to reach out to jail inmates too.
It has decided to provide education to jail inmates across the state by charging just 50 per cent of the course fee. The university’s apex controlling body, the Board of Management (BoM), gave approval to the proposal at a recent meeting.
Inmates work in the jail and earn money. Besides, there are government funds for inmates who wish to study, so fees will not be an impediment to their pursuing studies.
Prisoners can enrol at any time of the year, appear as and when they are ready for taking their examinations. Vice-chancellor Jayant Sonwalkar said that they would set up examination centres at jails for examination. “I’ve given a proposal to this effect to the director-general (Jails),” he added.
‘Return to mainstream’
"Jail inmates in the state will now be able to pursue higher education courses of their choice with us at Bhoj University. The university has offered an opportunity to prison inmates to return to the mainstream of life with quality education, which will make them employable. The university has decided to charge only half of the course fee so that the inmates don’t face financial hurdles in pursuing higher education courses," said vice-chancellor Jayant Sonwalkar.
