Maharashtra Prison Department: Study while serving time, get sentence reduced

In a bid to encourage jail inmates to study, the Maharashtra prison department has announced that it will lessen convicts' sentences if they clear exams while serving time. Additional Director General of Prisons B K Upadhyay issued a circular last week, a copy of which is with mid-day.

How it will work
While there's no benefit for just becoming literate, for clearing SSC/HSC or any diploma exam, a reduction of five days in the sentence will be given, which will be increased to eight days if the inmate clears the exam with a score of 60 per cent or above. Graduating will result in a reduction of 15 days, which will be increased to 20 for those passing with First Class or above. Similarly, for getting a postgraduate degree, there will be a reduction of 20 days in the sentence, increased to 25 for First Class or above marks. Completing PhD, MPhil or any research will also ensure a reduction of 20 days.

Explaining how this circular was arrived at, jail officials said that while serving their sentences, convicts are allowed to take up education, so that they can use that to get jobs once released. A committee of experts was then formed in 2015 to find methods to reform inmates further, and after a lot of discussions, this idea was finalised, they added.

There have been many examples of inmates studying further - Yakub Memon, who was hanged in the 1993 blasts case, did his masters in English literature as well as political science from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) while in jail. Apart from IGNOU, inmates also take up courses in Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University.

Learning behind bars
The initiative will be governed by strict rules - proper entries should be made in the prison register, reduction in sentence will be applicable only once the result is out, and courses/degrees should be done through an open or government-recognised university only. Besides encouraging inmates to study, the prison department also teaches skill-based jobs, like carpentry, baking, and farming so that those who don't want to study can work as skilled labourers, an official said.