Chandigarh, Dec 5: The Punjab and Haryana High Court, along with the Chandigarh administration, will roll out new skill development programmes for inmates at Model Jail, Burail, as part of a wider push toward reform-focused corrections. The initiative will be inaugurated on December 6 by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant through a virtual ceremony from District Jail, Gurugram.
Officials said the programme, themed “Empowering Lives Behind Bars, Real Change: The New Paradigm of Correctional Justice,” marks a shift in the criminal justice system. “We want prisons to become spaces of dignity and rehabilitation,” an official said, adding that the effort aims to prepare inmates for employment after release.
Under the high court’s direction, Jeevan Dhara, an Industrial Training Institute (ITI), has been set up inside the Burail jail. It combines hands-on training with classroom instruction, and successful trainees will receive certification from the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), increasing their chances of securing jobs in government or private sectors.
Two one-year certificate courses — Sewing Technology and Woodwork Technician — have begun from the 2025–26 session. More trades, including computer engineering, COPA, welding, plumbing, dressmaking, electrician training and cosmetology, are expected to be added.
Judges of the Supreme Court, including Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Augustine George Masih, as well as Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and other Punjab and Haryana High Court judges, will attend the launch, signalling institutional support for rehabilitation.
The programme aligns with an ongoing month-long drug awareness drive involving doctors, lawyers, police officers, para-legal volunteers and educational institutions. “We want communities and young people to understand the dangers early,” a campaign volunteer said. The awareness themes include Awareness Begins at Home & School, Rise of Responsible Youth and Community Rising Strong.
Officials said the twin initiatives aim to reduce repeat offences, support sustainable livelihoods and build safer communities by prioritising skills and preventive awareness.
