Tihar's tryst with computers

It was a big day for 25 inmates of Tihar Jail. On May 29, the group successfully completed the six-month basic course in computer applications–studying three hours every day, six days a week.

The course comprises of computer fundamentals, the office suite and paintbrush. Inmates needed to have passed their Standard 10 examinations in order to qualify for this course. The same batch of students have also started attending a course in desktop publishing (DTP), including training in software packages like PageMaker and CorelDraw. The DTP course is aimed at providing training for jobs in the advertising and publishing industries.

While distributing the certificates to the inmates Superintendent of Central Jail number 4 BS Jarial said that indulgence in criminal activities can be fun at the beginning but the fun does not last too long. "It may bring with it temporary happiness–maybe a treat in an expensive restaurant or a joyride in a stolen car–but this can not last beyond four to five years," he said. "As under-trials in jail, you need to make the most of your time and learn job-oriented skills in the area of information technology. It will make us extremely proud if you can find work in this area after you are released," Jarial added.

The program to impart computer education to under-trials of CJ-4 in Tihar Jail has for the last four years been managed by the Society for Creating Opportunity for People Empowerment (Scope Plus). Classes are conducted in two batches of 25 students each. The educated inmates of the jail impart training to other inmates using three computers, donated by Cyber Media India Ltd and IBM.

Sayed Navin, a computer graphic designer, who has been training students in the jail for the past two months, said, "We need more computers as each student hardly gets any time to practice on his own. We also need a hardware engineer to come in as a consultant and show us how to troubleshoot when the existing computers give us problems."

Proudly displaying an advertisement he created, Prem Chand, an inmate said, "I used to be an electrician and do some driving assignments. But this DTP course is really interesting and I have decided to take it up as a profession once I am released from jail."

"Enrollment in these classes is very high, but so is the rate at which students drop out. This is mainly because under-trials are released or shifted to other jails," explained Scope Plus coordinator Archana Chowdhury.

"In 1998, SCOPE Plus was invited by IGNOU to motivate school dropouts to enroll for a computer literacy course. More than 400 youngsters from slums and resettlement colonies attended the course in the centers selected by IGNOU’s extension center. Under the same program, SCOPE launched its own center in Tihar CJ4," explained Seema Malhotra of Scope Plus.

Scope Plus also launched a computer class for the families of Tihar employees in 2001 with Gaurav Sharma, the son of an Assistant Superintendent as the first computer teacher. Renu and Ravinder, the children of the Head Warden, currently run the center.