Vadodara, Feb 27 : As Class 10 and 12 board exams commence across Gujarat on Thursday, an unusual examination center in Vadodara's Central Jail stood out for its solitary candidate.

While the prison facility was initially set to host five inmates for the board exams, only one prisoner, Sanjay Parmar, appeared for his Class 10 exam, making it a rare case where an entire examination center was operational for a single student.

The jail authorities had made arrangements for multiple candidates, but sources revealed that four inmates, who were supposed to take the exams, did not show up.

As a result, Parmar sat alone for his test under the supervision of three staff members assigned to conduct the examination.

The Vadodara Central Jail has been facilitating board exams for inmates to help them reintegrate into society after completing their sentences. However, the low turnout this year has raised concerns about the effectiveness of educational programs within the prison system.

In Gujarat, the integration of educational programs within the prison system has yielded notable outcomes, exemplified by the recent success of inmates in state board examinations.

In May 2024, nine prisoners serving life sentences at Surat's Lajpore Central Jail cleared the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB) Class 12 examinations, achieving a 100 per cent pass rate.

In 2016, approximately 134 inmates appeared for Class 10 and Class 12 board exams across the state. This number increased to 155 in 2017 and further to 183 in 2018, with 155 inmates taking the Class 10 exam and 28 appearing for the Class 12 exam.

Despite these advancements, challenges persist. Nationally, as of 2019, less than 22 per cent of inmates benefited from educational programs, and under 12 per cent received vocational training. These figures highlight the need for expanded educational opportunities to facilitate effective rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.

/IANS