Glowing degrees from depth of incarceration

Given that examinations in many places in India appear to have become the preserve of criminal elements, many might think they should be conducted in jails anyway. Of course, some may also aver that jails could prove to be even more conducive to cheating and other examination frauds, as all manner of illegal activities seem to flourish behind the high walls. However, such cynicism should not detract from the sterling achievement of the former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala: clearing the Class 12 examinations at the venerable age of 82, that too in the first division, according to his son and Haryana MLA Abhay Chautala. Even more noteworthy is the news that the Indian National Lok Dal leader, who is serving out a 10-year sentence for a teacher-hiring scam, went back to jail during a parole period to write his exams instead of choosing a more conventional location.

Clearly, the environs of Tihar Jail must be conducive to such cerebral callisthenics as the Jat doyen was apparently inspired by his fellow convict, Manu Sharma, who has pursued a law degree while being incarcerated there for Jessica Lal’s murder. But both are still to reach the educational heights achieved by former MP Mohammed Shahabuddin (recently relocated to Tihar) and ex-MLA Vijay Kumar ‘Munna’ Shukla, both of whom notched up doctorates in Siwan Jail.