Inmates of Dhanbad jail learn to fix a television during the training on Tuesday. Picture by Gautam Dey

Over 40 prisoners at Dhanbad jail can start a new chapter in their lives. For, they are learning to be electricians so that they can earn a livelihood after being released.

The jail administration as part of its correctional-cum-motivational programme is providing the four-month job-oriented training through the local Jan Shikshan Sansthan.

Jan Shikshan Sansthans are a set of centres established by Union HRD department to provide vocational training to non-literates and neo-literates as well as school dropouts by identifying skills that would have a market in the region they are based.

A trainer from the Dhanbad centre, Prakash Sao, is conducting the classes, which are held six days a week in two batches comprising 20 prisoners each from noon to 2pm and 2pm to 4pm.

The course, which started on October 1, will continue till January 31. Another round will start from February.

After completion of training, the inmates will receive certificates from the Jan Shikshan Sansthan, which will be valid all over the country.

Dhanbad jail superintendent S.C. Jha said the trainees were selected on first-cum-first-serve basis. “Several other inmates also showed interest in becoming electricians, but we could not accommodate them in the first two batches. They can join the training from February,” Jha said.

He added that the job skills would help the inmates earn a respectable life once they were out of the jail.

Director of Dhanbad Jan Shikshan Sansthan Jitendra Kumar Banerjee said the trainees were receiving lessons on electrical wiring, winding of coils, repairing of fuse, CFL bulbs etc.

“We will also hold a week-long training programme on card-making for women inmates in the second week of December. They will make New Year greeting cards and sell them to outsiders from the visitor management system room of the jail,” he added.

A similar card-making venture was carried out for the jail inmates last year during which altogether 110 cards had been sold.

Paints, brush and colours were provided by the jail administration through the prisoners’ welfare fund.

Funds generated through sale of greeting cards this year will be also deposited in the prisoners’ welfare fund, which will be later used for sponsoring other training programmes for the inmates.

Jail superintendent Jha further revealed plans about launching sewing and stitching courses for the female jail inmates.