Women undertrials in Kaushambi prison take up computer studies to better their lives in Allahabad

PRAYAGRAJ: Facing heinous charges like murder and abduction, six women inmates of Kaushambi district jail have taken up computer studies to give themselves a shot at improving their lives and avoid returning to prison.
The jail administration in collaboration with an Ayodhya-based NGO Indira Sewa Sansthan has extended all possible help to ensure that when these inmates walk out of the prison, they have the skill to make their lives better.
Senior jail superintendent of Kaushambi district jail, Rakesh Singh exclusively told TOI: “The motive is to transform their lives through training and capacity building while they are facing under-trial period.”
He said these women were very keen to learn computer basics and hence were provided with the opportunity by the jail administration. “While Nikita, educated up to class 11 and facing abduction charges is keen to learn computer basics and wants to improve her typing skills, Kiran, educated up to only fifth standard and facing charges like kidnapping, murder and cheating, wants to build her career in computers,” he said. Other inmates like Roshni, Ritu, Lalita and Nirmla, facing murder charges, and having acquired education from class 8th to graduation, are also keen to learn computers as they believe these skills will help them transform their lives once out of prison.
Ritu said: “With advanced technology revolution across the world, we thought that we too should have computer knowledge and skills. Six of the women inmates then urged the jail authorities to make necessary arrangements.”
Singh said these inmates are so upbeat about it that they don’t miss even a single class. “The jail authorities have invited a lady teacher from outside who takes classes from 10 am to 4 pm six days a week and gives daily project work. The project started two days back.” For this purpose, jail authorities have arranged two computers.
Jail authorities claimed that there are currently 41 women inmates at district jail. Interestingly, jail authorities have not set any minimum qualification criteria for the women inmates who want to pursue computer education. “After witnessing their passion for computers and finding literacy level not a hindrance for most of them, we have started computer classes so that they benefit and can join the more advanced training programmes later,” said Singh.
He said more women prisoners are keen to learn computers as compared to their male counterparts adding that “Four of them are talented and computer expert too finds an interesting experience to teach them.”