Prison schools have all the reason to cheer with most of its candidates scoring well in the Plus-Two results announced on Tuesday. Of the 103 candidates who took the examination in 2016, as many as 94 passed, seven failed and two reported absent due to health reasons.
Life convicts B. Papanasam (41) of Palayamkottai Central Prison and J. Omalraj (30) of Tiruchi Central Prison topped the list with 1,084 and 1,052 respectively out of 1,200 marks.
Al-Umma operative Umar Farooq alias Moideen Abdul Khader (35), serving life imprisonment in the murder of BJP leader Dr Sridhar in Tiruchi, stood third with 1,048 marks.
Three women candidates
The candidates, including three women, lodged in nine central prisons, one special prison for women and a borstal school, sat for the examination in Puzhal prison complex, the lone centre.
Prison schools function like any other educational institution except that convicts teach convicts here. A few jail warders with a passion for teaching join them as well. The study materials are provided by jail authorities and the schools function from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Superintendent of Puzhal prison Rukmani Priyadarshini says three convicts with post-graduate degrees were among the teachers.
“We identified convicts who had the potential to teach. There is a school teacher who was convicted in a rape case…he teaches economics well. Convicts willing to take up teaching work are entitled to remission of sentence to an extent of four days per month,” she said, adding that most of those who passed Plus-Two were keen to pursue a degree course.
Of the 103 candidates who took the exam
in 2016, 94
have passed
