77 prison inmates clear Class 12 examinations in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Of the 88 inmates of Central Prisons in the State who appeared for Class 12 examinations, 77 of them cleared the exams, Tamil Nadu Prison department said.

Five of them who wrote the exams are women. Tamil Nadu School Education Department had made arrangements for examination centres in the respective prisons as per the request of the Prison department.

According to an official release from the prison department, four women inmates cleared the examination. All the six inmates from Tiruchy central prison passed the examinations.

The maximum number of inmates who took the exams were from Central Prison, Puzhal. Of the 25 inmates from who took the examinations Puzhal prison, 21 passed, while 22 inmates took the exams from Madurai Central Prison and 20 of them passed the examinations.

The overall pass percentage of prison inmates this year is 87.5 per cent.

"Imparting education is foremost important measure among various reformation and rehabilitation programmes carried out by the Department of Prisons and correctional services. Many educational programmes have been launched in prisons as the inmates are mostly illiterate. Various vocational courses are offered too, aimed at empowering them towards life sustaining employment on their release," an official release said.