Telangana Prisons Department Launches Open Schooling Programme for Inmates
The Telangana Prisons Department, in collaboration with the Telangana Open School Society (TOSS), has launched an open schooling programme to provide inmates an opportunity to continue their education and prepare for life after release.
Hyderabad: The Telangana Prisons Department, in collaboration with the Telangana Open School Society (TOSS), has launched an open schooling programme to provide inmates an opportunity to continue their education and prepare for life after release.
Inaugurating the initiative, Dr Yogita Rana, Principal Secretary of the Education Department, said prisoners would be able to pursue Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Intermediate courses through the programme. She emphasised that education could build confidence, self-respect and resilience, helping inmates overcome challenges and rebuild their lives.
Special TOSS centres will be established in prisons to provide classroom instruction and academic support. The government has also announced a fee concession of ₹1,250 and plans to establish libraries within prison facilities.
Dr Soumya Mishra said the philosophy of the Prisons Department extended beyond custody to correction, rehabilitation and skill development. She described education as an effective tool for reforming inmates and helping them return to society as responsible citizens.
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She also recalled Dr Rana’s contribution as Nizamabad Collector between 2015 and 2017, when she supported prison industries and subsequently proposed the TOSS initiative, securing approval for the programme and an extension of admission deadlines.
Senior officials, including IG Prisons N. Murali Babu, DIGs Dr D. Srinivas and M. Sampath, and representatives of TOSS and various prisons attended the launch.
In 2016, the Telangana Prisons Department introduced several rehabilitation initiatives, including prison industries and vocational training programmes, to help inmates develop employable skills. The latest open schooling initiative builds on these efforts by adding formal education to rehabilitation, improving inmates’ employment prospects and supporting their social reintegration after release.
