CJI Surya Kant inaugurates skill development, polytechnic courses in Haryana jails

GUrugram, acquirement evolution centres, polytechnic sheepskin courses and ITI-level vocational programmes were launched for inmates interior various jails in Haryana on sat.Chief Justice of India Surya Kant inaugurated these initiatives from the district prison Bhondsi in Gurugram under the project 'Empowering Lives Behind Bars, Real Change: The New Paradigm of Correctional Justice'.As part of this reformative endeavour, skill development centres, polytechnic diploma programmes and ITI-level vocational training courses were formally introduced across jails in Haryana, according to an official release.These initiatives were aimed at reshaping the correctional ecosystem through structured education and skill development.During the same event, the CJI also launched a month-long statewide anti-drug awareness campaign across Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory Chandigarh, which were designed to counter the growing challenge of substance abuse in the state.On this occasion, Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Augustine George Masih of the Supreme Court and Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana along with judges of the high court and other dignitaries from the state administration were also present.The CJI emphasised a critical concern, saying when individuals step out of prison and return to society without adequate support, their reintegration becomes not only difficult but dangerously uncertain.Without guidance, many are pulled back into a cycle of marginalisation and renewed conflict with the law.He reminded that in the absence of education, skills, psychological support, and structured reintegration, a prison, what he prefers to call a "correctional home", can unintentionally become a place where disadvantages deepen and custodial cycles repeat."Reformative justice today demands clear thinking, coordinated action, and systems designed for renewal rather than return," he said.CJI Kant underscored that reintegration must become a planned, systematic process, not merely a matter of hope.He suggested the establishment of district-level reintegration boards comprising probation officers, employers, civil society representatives, and mental health professionals, ensuring that each release is accompanied by a concrete and actionable path forward.He urged for recognising distinct vulnerabilities of migrant workers, whose challenges arise from mobility rather than malice.Simplified bail procedures, multilingual legal navigation, and basic documentation support can prevent temporary encounters with the law from evolving into prolonged periods of detention, he said. In these efforts, human rights must prevail over punitive impulses, he added.The CJI further emphasised that psychological rehabilitation must be strengthened alongside vocational training.While skills open doors, psychological stability enables individuals to walk confidently through them. Trauma-informed counselling, addiction treatment, and emotional regulation programmes must become routine features of correctional life, he stated.In this context, the anti-drugs campaign launched on Saturday by the Legal Services Authorities stands as a vital and commendable initiative, the CJI said.Under the polytechnic and skill development programmes, inmates will have access to a wide spectrum of vocational and technical education, including ITI courses along with a three-year polytechnic diploma in computer engineering.This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.