ERODE: It’s good news from Coimbatore prison on the education front.At least 15 jail inmates have enrolled for Plus Two studies and 10 for SSLC this year, according Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) M Govindarajan.He told Express that six persons took SSLC examinations in the last academic year and all of them emerged successful. Presently, 24 jail inmates are pursuing degree courses with government acting as facilitator by engaging teachers from outside. The inmates are taught lessons for at least two hours in the evening, he noted. Attention is also given on educating the wards of inmates serving life imprisonment. Rajiv Gandhi Polytechnic at Chennimalai, Avinasilingam University and Nirmala Arts and Science College provide free education to these students. Of this, Rajiv Gandhi Polytechnic takes care of both education, exam and mess fees. Avinasilingam has waived education fee and Nirmala college allows fee concession. These initiatives have been taken with the help of private sponsors, who also provide the school-going children of other inmates with uniforms, books, notebooks and the likes every year.Thirukural recitalIn a novel effort to mend inmates’ lives, Govindarajan said a practice of playing 10 Thirukkural couplets from an audio kit has been launched in Coimbatore Central Prison and 14 sub-jails in Coimbatore division from last month. The kit given by the SBI has Seerkazhi Sivachidambaram singing the couplets and Saratha Nambiaruran explaining their meaning. Meeting timeOn a complaint that relatives of some trial prisoners in Erode sub-jail were allowed to meet them during night hours, Govindarajan said, “If the charges are true, the entire police force working there can be dismissed on the grounds of violating prison norms. The relatives of prisoners are permitted to meet them only during daytime. No permission is given for such meetings during night hours,” said.
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