Telangana has launched a prison education programme that will allow inmates to pursue Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Intermediate courses through the Telangana Open School Society (TOSS), with 85 prisoners already expressing interest in enrolment.
The programme was launched on Saturday by the Telangana Prisons Department in collaboration with TOSS at an event attended by Education Department Principal Secretary Dr Yogita Rana, Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services Dr Soumya Mishra and other officials.
Under the Telangana prison education programme, inmates will receive study material, academic support and regular classes. Classes are scheduled to be held on Sundays and the second Saturdays, although the timetable may be changed depending on the requirements of prison authorities, TOSS Director K Lingaiah said.
Seventy inmates have expressed interest in pursuing SSC, while another 15 have shown interest in Intermediate courses. The Prisons Department is seeking to encourage more inmates to participate in the programme, according to Soumya Mishra.
The initiative will be supported by special TOSS centres to be established inside prisons. Rana said these centres would help facilitate classes and provide an institutional arrangement for delivering open schooling within correctional facilities. There is no upper age limit for enrolment, allowing inmates of different age groups to pursue school-level education.
A concession of Rs 1,250 will be provided towards the course fee for inmates. Officials also said that inmates who complete Intermediate will be eligible to pursue higher education, subject to the admission requirements of the relevant institutions.
The programme places prison education within the responsibilities of both the correctional and education departments. Its implementation will depend on coordination between prison authorities, TOSS centres, teaching support and access to study materials and libraries inside prisons.
Rana also assured support for establishing libraries in prisons. She said assistance would be provided for the education of children of prisoners facing financial difficulties, extending the department’s stated support beyond the inmates enrolled in the open schooling programme.
The programme is being introduced as part of efforts to promote education and rehabilitation in prisons. By using the open schooling system, the departments are creating a route for inmates to complete formal qualifications without the conventional school attendance structure.
The next operational steps will include establishing the special TOSS centres, arranging study material and academic support, and finalising class schedules in consultation with prison authorities. The departments will also continue efforts to enrol more inmates in SSC and Intermediate courses.
