Not every day a jail inmate gets a congratulatory message. But on Sunday evening last, Premjit Singh, Santosh Kalindi and Mutum Babu Singh, may have been astonished to learn that apart from their heinous crimes for which they are languishing in Silchar Central Jail, their ability and will to sit for a Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme (BPP) of Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University (KKHSOU) has done them a lot of good. Not only they have cleared their exams but also are now among the top ten rank holders in the state.
While Premjit Singh was third among the rank holders, Santosh Kalindi and Mutum Babu Singh held 7th and 8th position respectively. Appreciating their efforts to encourage other jail inmates to take to this noble cause of learning, Cachar district administration, along with Rotary Club of Silchar didn’t waste time in felicitating them.
While study centre for KKHSOU began in 2009 in Cachar College of Silchar, a separate study centre after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between KKHSOU and the jail authorities of Silchar, began in 2016 here, Hemanta Bora, coordinator for both these study centres said.
Talking to Northeast Now, Hemanta Bora said, “Just in the year 2016, we have started a separate study centre in Silchar Central Jail. Of the eight inmates who enrolled to sit for this Bachelor’s Preparatory Course (BPP), in their first attempt, six have cleared and three of them ranked among top ten.”
“It is a great achievement for just imagine, under what circumstances they live inside these confines. They can be an example for other inmates, which is a welcome sign for our open university as well as the jail authorities,” Hemanta Bora added.
Noteworthy though, Arup Jyoti Deka, another jail inmate from Mangaldoi, is the topper of this Bachelor’s Preparatory Program of KKHSOU.