27% prison inmates illiterate: Govt data

New Delhi, February 14

As many as 1,32,729 (27.37 per cent) of the 4,78,600 prison inmates in the country are “illiterate”, while 5,677 hold a technical degree or diploma, according to Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) data.

The prison statistics presented by Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy recently in Parliament were based on a compilation of data by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) updated till December 31, 2019.

The data on education of prison inmates showed that the maximum number of 1,98,872 (or 41.55 per cent) prisoners are educated below Class X level.

It showed that 1,32,729 (27.37 per cent) prison inmates were illiterate, while 1,03,036 (or 21.52 per cent) studied beyond Class 10, but below graduate level.

According to the data, 30,201 prison inmates were graduates, while 8,085 were postgraduates and 5,677 held a technical degree or diploma, etc. UP houses the maximum number of prisoners at 1,01,297. — PTI