In order to provide education to the jail inmates, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has decided to open study centers at the 11 major jails of the Odisha state. The university is already providing this service at five jails
in the state, said official sources.
IGNOU Bhubaneswar regional center assistant director Santosh Kumar Panigrahi said that the education provided by the university will be free of cost. "We are planning to provide 18 certificate courses to the inmates," he added.
The university will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Odisha’s state government under which it will also provide add-on courses to the undergraduate and postgraduate students of the government aided and non-aided colleges of the state. The students studying in the colleges can enroll for the certificate courses which will add additional skills to the existing skill sets. At each college, the university is planning to provide five different certificate courses.
The workers of the National health mission (NHM) will also receive training about food, nutrition, critical nursing, waste management and HIV AIDS and family therapy from the Open University.
The University is also in-charge of providing the training to the students of the Indian Oil Corporation's Mancheswar training center and after the successful completion of the training, it will give certificates to the students.