Telangana Prisons Department Opens Schooling for Inmates
Dr Soumya Mishra said the prisons department’s philosophy extended beyond custody to correction, rehabilitation and skill development
Hyderabad: Telangana prisons department has launched an open schooling programme in collaboration with the Telangana Open School Society (TOSS), offering inmates a chance to resume education and prepare for reintegration.
Inaugurating the initiative, Dr Yogita Rana, principal secretary, Education Department, said the scheme would enable prisoners to pursue SSC and Intermediate courses. She stressed that education instils confidence, self-respect and resilience, likening it to Diwali in dispelling ignorance with knowledge and hope. Special TOSS centres will be set up in prisons to provide classes and academic support. A fee concession of ₹1,250 has been announced, along with plans to establish libraries.
Dr Soumya Mishra said the prisons department’s philosophy extended beyond custody to correction, rehabilitation and skill development. Education, she noted, was among the most effective tools of reformation, helping inmates rebuild lives and return as responsible citizens. She recalled Dr Rana’s earlier contribution as Nizamabad collector (2015–17), when she supported prison industries and later proposed the TOSS programme, securing its approval and extension of admission deadlines.
Among those present were Azar, principal, Model School, Malakpet; district TOSS coordinators; senior prisons officials including N. Murali Babu, IG Prisons; Dr D. Srinivas and M. Sampath, DIGs; and jail superintendents from Hyderabad, Sangareddy and Cherlapally.