Learning has no bars, proves Patna jail:

*Patna:* A prisoner fiddling with the key board may appear strange but ithas turned into a reality for over 100 prisoners lodged in the Beur ModelJail near Patna. They are learning computers these days. But what isstriking is the curiosity shown by other prisoners.Having lived a life with guns and goons, they are now eager to turn a newleaf. Around 100 undertrial prisoners, both male and female, of the highsecurity jail, who were recently enrolled with the Nalanda Open University,appeared at the test on Sunday."We are surprised at the result of the test. Almost all examinees fared wellat the examination," Jail Superintendent Dilip Kumar Singh said.Encouraged by the overwhelming response from the inmates in computerlearning course, the prison authorities have urged the university to startmore courses for the prisoners.Nalanda Open University (NOU)Vice Chancellor VS Dubey said, "We are thinkingof launching more job-oriented course for the prisoners to make them selfreliant."He said a separate classroom with 25 tables and benches has been set up inthe jail campus for the purpose.Besides, the prison will soon have a separate computer lab for the inmates.According to the Vice Chancellor, a separate library has been set up for theprisoners, who are enrolled with any course.The library has been provided 1,200 books, learning materials of all coursesand almirahs. The jail library has the books on moral values, religion,literature and legal system, science and computers."The NOU is also planning to extend three study centres at Gaya, Bhagalpurand Muzaffarpur central jails. Some inmates, who have M Tech and B Techdegrees, have volunteered to offer their services free of cost. This is avery good sign," Dubey said.The main idea behind setting up learning course for the prisoners is to keepthem busy and inculcate sense of creativity among them, the JailSuperintendent said.He said the prisoners would be able to earn bread not only for them, butalso for their families after being released from jail.NOU Registrar SP Sinha said that the university has decided to introduceboth long-term and short-term courses for the prisoners."The university provides application forms free of cost to the prisoners tolure them," he said, adding that if the experiment was successful, theuniversity would introduce similar courses for the prisoners lodged in otherdivisional and district jails.Earlier, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) had started afew courses for the prison inmates but it did not receive good response.

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