CHENNAI: A total of 349 prison inmates, including 20 women, passed the Class 10 State board exam for the 2025-26 academic year, achieving an overall pass percentage of 96.14%, the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services reported.
Of the 363 inmates who appeared, exam centres were arranged inside prison campuses by the School Education Department.
Officials described education as a key rehabilitation measure, with elementary schools and vocational training programmes operating across prisons. Central Prisons in Cuddalore, Madurai, Coimbatore, and Palayamkottai recorded 100% pass rates. Among women’s facilities, all inmates passed in Chennai, Vellore, Madurai, and Coimbatore.
Top performers included Vigneshwaran (38), serving an NDPS sentence, who secured first rank among prison inmates with 445 marks; Arockiya Jeane (36), a POCSO convict, ranked second with 444 marks; and Jayalakshmi (35), convicted under the Immoral Traffic Act, ranked third with 417 marks. A life-term prisoner, Hakim, scored 383 marks. Officials said the results highlight the success of prison education and rehabilitation efforts.