With an aim to rehabilitate the surrendered Naxals, the Koraput police have facilitated admission of 16 former Maoists in the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) recently.
The Maoists, including four women, joined a six-month bridge course offered by the IGNOU. The police said after successful completion of the course, they would be eligible to get direct admission in Bachelor of Arts courses under the IGNOU. The bridge course also known as Bachelor's Preparatory Programme (BPP), is offered to those students who want to get a bachelor's degree but do not have the requisite 10 and +2 qualification. No formal qualification is required to join the bridge course but one has to be literate and at least 18 years old.
"Those youths had joined the Maoist organisation at some point of time. They shunned the path of violence. Though they have been rehabilitated as per the surrender policy of the State Government, we thought of empowering them through education," said Koraput SP Kanwar Vishal Singh.
According to the Singh, the surrendered Naxals and their supporters were counselled for several rounds and after they realised the benefits of education, they agreed. All the enrolled former Naxals belong to the worst Maoist-hit Narayanpatna block of the district.
"They joined in our laxmipur study centre, about 20 km from Narayanpatna. For their convenience, we will conduct classes for them at the Narayanpatna College on every Sunday," said Regional Director, IGNOU (Koraput) latika Mishra. The police said free education materials would be supplied to them.
"It's a good effort by the police. Education will surely give us much needed confidence to live in the society. I will try to do well in studies," said one of the former Maoists.
"It's our appeal to the Maoists to return to the mainstream and avail the benefits of the surrender policy. Else, they will be dealt with iron hand," warned Singh