Date:04/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/04/stories/2009070453550300.htm

Other States - Orissa

Jail inmates celebrate their success in BSE exam

Staff Reporter

BERHAMPUR: It was celebration time in Berhampur circle as four of its inmates passed the secondary school board examination in second division.

The four inmates who had passed the 10th board examination conducted by the Orissa Board of Secondary Examination (BSE) were honoured at a function which was attended by the senior superintendent of the jail, Bankim Charan Mohanty.

These four students who had made their cloistered world a mean to pursue education were Janmejaya Bir, Ranjan Sahu, Balakrushna Kanhar and Susant Malli. All of them passed in second division securing more than 50 per cent marks.

It was cent per cent result for the examination centre inside the jail as all the four examinees from this jail examination centre had passed.

Janmejaya and Ranjan are serving punishments of 10 years of imprisonment. Balakrushna and Susant are undertrial prisoners arrested in a murder case.

Mr. Mohanty said the achievements of these students would surely have impact on other jail inmates and they may also take up education as an engagement inside the jail campus. In 2008 six prisoners had appeared for secondary school board examination in this jail.

All the four prisoners who passed examination said they would take up higher studies while in jail.

Last year Rabindranath Das a lifer had managed to pass the secondary board examination in first division.

His success had its immediate impact on the other prisoners of the jail. These efforts of prisoners also enthused jail staff to pursue higher studies along with prisoners.

This jail now has a IGNOU study centre where the prisoner and jail staff join hands to study.

Mr. Mohanty informed that during the recently concluded examinations of the IGNOU in the jail campus, three inmates appeared for the Bachelors Preparatory Examination (BPP), one appeared for first year degree examination and three prisoners appeared for second year degree examination.

One prisoner of the jail also appeared for post graduate examination within the jail premises.