Hyderabad: In various prisons in Telangana, up to 108 prisoners appeared on the X-level in partnership with the National Open School Institute (NIOS).
Of the 108 prisoners, 73 were from Cherlapalli, 20 were from Nizamabad, 5 were from Karimnagar, 2 were from Mahabubnagar, and 8 were from Women’s Prison in Hyderabad.
The course covers five topics – Social Sciences, Economics, Business Studies, English and Second Languages, including Telugu, Urdu or Hindi. These courses offer three language mediums, Telugu, English and Urdu exams will be held in October 2025, with results obtained in January 2026 and certificates obtained in February 2026.
Dr. Soumya Mishra, Director General of Prison and Correctional Services, reiterated the department’s commitment to 3R reform, rehabilitation and reintegration, noting that education remains the most powerful tool for transformation.
A prisoner from Nizamabad Central Prison shared that he only studied V-level before he was incarcerated. “No one tells us the importance of education. This situation never supports us to learn further,” he said.
Another inmate from Mahabubnagar Prison revealed that he completed Class VI only outside the prison and had been competing for the post of parliament but was disqualified due to lack of a Class X certificate. “Now, I’m swearing to complete the X-level and other qualifications offered in other prison terms, so I can pursue a political career after release,” he said.
A female prisoner in Hyderabad shared: “Outside, no one encourages us, and the situation doesn’t help. Now, Mrs. DG, like our mother, has provided us with a great opportunity to learn for Level X. This will help us continue our education and find a job after release.”
The initiative was opened in a special event attended by Soumya Mishra and other senior officials. As part of the release of the program, the inmate’s recommendations reflect the profound impact of the program.
Parampreet Singh, Director of NIOS TELANGANA and ANDHRA PRADESH, appreciated the forward-looking approach of the Telangana prison department. He guaranteed full support for the program and emphasized the transformative power of education in the educational environment
The program fills the critical education gap by introducing a Level 2 equivalent to Class X, signed by the previous literacy program “Thumb In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In -In” by the Telangana Prisons department in collaboration with Braou.
A memorandum of understanding with NIOS was signed in 2024 to formally provide the academic program.
