Bhubaneswar, November 20: Sabyasachi Panda, a top Maoist leader serving a life sentence in Berhampur Circle Jail, has expressed his desire to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Administration through the Odisha State Open University (OSOU) this year.
Panda, who completed his Bachelor of Arts from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) two years ago, is among six inmates who have submitted applications to enroll in the two-year correspondence program at OSOU, said a senior jail official.
The group includes four convicts, including the 55-year-old Panda, and two undertrials. “We have forwarded the documents of these inmates for enrollment in the MA program. Once admitted, they will receive study materials and prepare independently for their exams,” said a senior superintendent of Berhampur Circle Jail.
Panda, arrested on July 18, 2014, in Berhampur, has been incarcerated for his involvement in several Maoist-related cases across Odisha's Maoist-affected districts. A local court sentenced him to life imprisonment for waging war against the nation.
