From guns to pens: Prisoners take exam inside Assam jail

8220;There is tremendous enthusiasm among the inmates and most of them exuded confidence of performing well in the exams,8221; Ankuran Dutta of the open university said.

They have given the exams for English, Mathematics, Social Science, Electronics and Advanced Mathematics papers.

Candidates for the last two subjects intend to seek admission in the Bachelor of Computer Application course in the same university.

8220;This will probably change their life and once they are out of jail they can pursue a decent profession,8221; Dutta said.

Twenty-six inmates are, at present, pursuing a course called Bachelors Preparatory Programme which is meant for class ten to twelve students.

8220;The course is totally free of cost and includes all the study materials8230;even pen and paper for the examinees are being supplied from the institution,8221; he says.

8220;Other prisoners have also shown interest after watching the inmates study. More students are likely to join the course,8221; Dutta said.

He said classes are taken twice a week by the university8217;s faculty member, Prof Robin Goswami, who is a former head of the department of English at Cotton College.

Apart from the weekly classes, the university also holds special classes for the inmates as and when necessary.

Dutta said going by the enthusiasm shown among the inmates, the university plans to reach out to other jails of the state as well.