To reform the lives of prisoners, the Kerala High Court has granted permission to two murder convicts currently serving life sentences, to pursue a three-year LLB (Bachelor of Legislative Law) course from the academic year 2023-24 through online mode, as per the reports by The New Indian Express.
Suresh Babu, presently undergoing a sentence in the Open Prison and Correctional Home, Cheemeni, Kannur, will be studying at KMCT Law College, Kuttippuram, Kerala. On the other hand, Vinoyi, currently in the Central Prison, Kannur, will study at Sree Narayana Law College, Poothotta, Ernakulam, Kerala.
The court has made an exception in this case as according to the UGC (University Grants Commission) guidelines - Open and Distant Learning Programmes and Online Programmes, prohibits attending the LLB course through online mode.
Reformation through education
The court stressed on the importance of preserving the basic human rights and dignity of prisoners. It emphasised on education being a fundamental human right that can give them a chance to assimilate themselves into a larger community. Not only this, it would also give them a chance to reform and rehabilitate themselves.
The court further cited that this would give other prisoners hope and inspire them to effectively use their time while in custody, ultimately leading them towards a better life post-release. Therefore, ensuring prisoners' access to education is crucial for achieving the reformatory and rehabilitative objectives of imprisonment.
