Prison inmates, differently abled outshine regular students in Bengal - KOLKATA

Physically-challenged candidates and the students, who appeared for the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) examination from the correctional homes of the State, have performed better than the regular candidates, according to the results that were declared on Thursday.

While 82 per cent regular students passed the examination, the success rate of those who appeared from prison was 89 per cent and that of physically handicapped, 93 per cent.

A total of 58 examinees from the correctional homes wrote the Madyamaik Examination in 2014, of which 52 came out successful.

Baidya Das, an inmate of Jalpaiguri Central Correctional Home, has scored highest marks among those who appeared from the prisons. Convicted in a rape case, Mr. Das has been sentenced for 10 years.

Out of 10 inmates of Jalpaiguri Central Correctional Home, four passed in first division, five in second division, and one third division.

At Birbhum Correctional Home, a 53-year-old convict, Dulal Choudhury, who has been sentenced to nine years of imprisonment, passed the examination with good marks.

His daughter Nibedita Choudhury is a B.A final-year student with Bengali Honours at Sainthia College. “I was very excited and tensed about my father’s result. After hearing his marks, I am extremely happy for him. He has made us proud,” the daughter of the inmate said. Of 17 prisoners, who appeared for the examination at Medinipur Correctional Home, 13 passed. One prisoner wrote the exam from Purulia Correctional Home and passed.

Students with disabilities also fared better. Of the 165 visually-challenged students, who appeared for the exam, 158 passed. Behala Momen Mollah, a 16-year-old student of Calcutta Blind School, scored 67 per cent. He hails from a family of a daily-wage earner in Haroa, North 24 Parganas.

“I passed the Madhyamik examination with first division and scored 473 marks out of 700. I have planned to study commerce in the same school,” he said.

Nearly 103 students with hearing and speech impairment appeared for the exam and 85 of them were able to qualify it. 

Source : The Hindu , 23rd May 2014