Tihar Central Jail here has achieved a record 100 per cent placement this year. Sixty-six students were short-listed to participate in the placement drive, the seventh so far.
Started with the aim of helping prisoners live a better life once they are out of the jail, the placement drive at Tihar has so far proved to be a success. The annual exercise has seen 406 inmates being placed till date. The authorities believe that the number is going to increase as Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung has given a go-ahead to the open jail system.
“Prisoners in the open jail who are selected to work will be able to go out and work like regular people. The only difference is that they will have to return to the jail after work instead of going home. The system will add to the number of inmates placed,” said Tihar spokesperson Sunil Gupta.
Thirty-one companies, including Pizza Hut, Ariz Media, RPS Group of companies, Vedanta Foundation, Universal Enterprises and Tajmahal group of companies, participated in Tuesday’s placement drive. The inmates have been offered salaries ranging between Rs.8,000 and Rs.35,000 per month for positions like driver, plumber, marketing executive and business development manager.
The highest salary package has been offered to Raju, a graduate in social work from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). He secured a job at Tajmahal group of companies, where he will work as Assistant Business Development Manager.