CJI Surya Kant Inaugurates Skill Development & Polytechnic Courses For Haryana Jail Inmates

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant inaugurated Skill Development Centres, Polytechnic diploma courses and ITI-level vocational programmes for inmates across various jails in Haryana on December 6. These initiatives have been launched under the project “Empowering Lives Behind Bars, Real Change: The New Paradigm of Correctional Justice.” The programmes, aimed at reshaping the correctional ecosystem through structured education and skill development, were formally introduced at District Prison, Bhondsi, Gurugram. At the same event, the Chief Justice of India also launched a month-long Statewide Anti-Drug Awareness Campaign across Punjab, Haryana and U.T. Chandigarh to address the growing challenge of substance abuse.

Justice Surya Kant observed that reintegration becomes significantly harder when individuals leave prison without adequate support. Without education, skills training, counselling and structured transitions, a correctional home can unintentionally deepen disadvantages. True reform, he said, requires clear thinking, coordinated action and systems that enable renewal. He emphasised that psychological rehabilitation must accompany vocational training, noting that skills create opportunities but mental stability enables individuals to seize them. Trauma counselling, addiction treatment and emotional support must therefore become routine components of correctional practice. In this context, he described the “Youth Against Drug” campaign as a timely intervention. Justice Surya Kant also called for training aligned with the future economy, including digital skills, logistics and modern trades, and urged industry partnerships to provide apprenticeships and employment opportunities for inmates.

The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries whose leadership has guided the conceptualisation and implementation of these initiatives. Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Augustine George Masih, Judges of the Supreme Court of India, Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Justice Lisa Gill, Judge of the High Court and Executive Chairperson of HALSA, along with other Judges of the High Court and senior officials from the State Administration, were present and acknowledged the significance of the milestone.

The Haryana State Legal Services Authority launched its month-long Statewide Anti-Drug Awareness Campaign, conceptualised under the guidance of Justice Lisa Gill, whose vision and commitment to public welfare shaped the initiative. Noting the alarming rise in drug abuse across the State, Justice Lisa Gill highlighted the need for sustained behavioural change supported by community participation. The campaign aims to educate students, parents, teachers and local communities about the dangers, psychological impacts and long-term consequences of drug addiction. It also seeks to raise awareness about legal provisions under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, including the consequences of trafficking and consumption, as well as available rehabilitation mechanisms. Through coordinated district-level efforts, the programme promotes early detection, counselling, de-addiction services and stronger community vigilance.

Guided by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana and the Government of Haryana, these programmes reaffirm the belief that sustainable change is achievable when systems prioritise education, rehabilitation, empowerment and community engagement. The simultaneous launch of skill development initiatives for inmates and a wide-ranging anti-drug campaign reflects a forward-looking approach aimed at creating a safer, more aware and compassionate society. These measures signal a new beginning, one that upholds human dignity behind bars, strengthens safeguards against drug abuse and contributes to a more inclusive and healthier social environment.