Fathers in jail, children clear Matric exams

Cuttack, July 30: Thanks to a social organisation working in Prison Welfare Service, at least 116 children of jail inmates in Odisha passed the Matriculation examinations this year.

John Augustus Prison and Social Welfare Services of Athgarh sub-division had provided books and study materials last year to as many as 238 Class X students, whose fathers are confined in jail.

"Of them, around 200 appeared in examinations (both annual and supplementary) and 116 of them passed," the NGO's founder president P K Choudhury said.

Choudhury said his organisation last year went around all the five circle jails, eight district jails, two special sub jails, ten sub jails and two other special jails, including the open air jail at Jamujhori in the state to prepare a list of children of the prisoners eligible to appear for the matriculation examination this year.

"Since the State government waived examination fees of these students, we provided them with books and other study materials and made them ready to sit for the examinations," he said adding his organisation is also providing study materials to other children of the prisoners.

A girl of Titlagarh, whose father is serving life term for murder charges in Titlagarh sub jail, cleared the examination in B1 grade securing more than 72 per cent marks, Choudhury said adding his organisation had been helping the girl with books and study materials for last three years.

Besides distributing books to children of prisoners, his organisation is supplying at least one postcard every month to all jail inmates of the State to enable them to keep in touch with family members by writing letters, Choudhury, a former jail probationary officer said.

PTI