Besides vocational training and professional courses, they would be provided all facilities to prepare for the secondary school (Class X) examination, intermediate (Class XII) examination and graduation.

IG (prisons) Sandeep Paundrik said Raj Bhavan (the governor, who is also the chancellor of universities) had initiated the move to take education "behind bars". The programme would be first implemented at Model Central Jail in Beur, Patna, and later in other prisons across the state with active collaboration of the universities. The plan is to impart vocational training to convicts as well as under-trials (UTs) through the distant-learning mode or through courses offered by different departments of various universities. There won't be any course fee, said Paundrik.

When reminded about a similar initiative by Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) as part of a special programme for prisoners a few years ago, which did not achieve the desired success,

Paundrik said the fee structure (in that programme) might have been an obstacle. Keeping this in mind, the chancellor has decided to provide "free education" to prison
inmates, he said.