IGNOU launches 'mediated phone-in radio counselling' for prisoners in Nagpur

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has launched the 'mediated phone-in radio counselling', which will help prisoners of the Nagpur Central Jail in Maharashtra, who have taken up academic courses, to get their queries answered by teachers. This new programme will help prisoners in their academic studies without compromising the jail's security.

P Sivaswaroop, IGNOU's Regional Director, said, "While IGNOU has been offering various academic courses, this student-teacher interactive call back facility was not available for prisoners as they do not have access to phones in jail. To circumvent this difficulty, an innovative method has been adopted by IGNOU. Prisoners will now listen to lessons imparted by teachers on the FM radio channel. They will write their doubts/queries on a paper and give it to the IGNOU’s jail coordinator."

"With this facility, there will be a "two-way communication" which will be quite beneficial to prisoners who want to study. The initiative will also be helpful in correcting and rehabilitating them," he added.