In a first-of-its-kind achievement, a 23-year-old culpable homicide convict lodged in Varanasi central jail has emerged as the national topper in Diploma in Tourism Studies (DTS), a one-year course offered by the Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU).

The convict, Ajeet Kumar Saroj, will be escorted to the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) on Saturday where the vice-chancellor will award him with a gold medal.

Ajeet, a Dalit, happens to be the only gold medalist from Varanasi region of IGNOU, which covers 20 districts with over 6,000 students.

Speaking to The Indian Express, A N Tripathi, director, IGNOU Varanasi region, said, “It is a unique achievement for us because such a thing has not been heard of in IGNOU history as far as my information goes. We have called Ajeet at BHU campus on August 8 for a convocation ceremony as he is the only gold medalist from our region”.

IGNOU has already prepared Ajeet’s curriculum vitae, which would be read out before he is felicitated with the gold medal and the diploma.

According to IGNOU, Ajeet had started pursuing various courses soon after he was convicted two-and-a-half-years ago. Before taking up the DTS course, Ajeet had completed certificate course in human rights, certificate course in disaster management, certificate course in NGO management and certificate course in food and nutrition from IGNOU and had procured over 65 per cent marks in each one of them.

“Ajeet is going to be an inspiration for other convicts as well from Naini, Varanasi and Gorakhpur jails that falls in this region,” said Tripathi.

Jailor at Varanasi prison and also jail co-ordinator for IGNOU, B N Mishra told The Indian Express that a resident of Jaunpur district, Ajeet was convicted in 2012 under IPC section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). Then, a student of BSc first year in Jaunpur, he had intervened in a fight in his village over a land dispute, where a neighbour Rajendra had died. Ajeet was sentenced to 10 years in imprisonment, the jailor added.

“Earlier, in Bareilly jail, many convicts had applied for IGNOU courses and had passed with good marks. But it is for the first time that any convict in UP has become a national topper and is being awarded a gold medal,” the jailor said.

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