Madurai (Chennai): The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is working on an ambitious plan to provide free education to prisoners lodged in jails across the country.

Under the varsity's project, all course offered by it will be available free of cost to all prisoners.

A board meeting of the varsity scheduled to be held on September 17th, will work out the modalities of implementing the project in collaboration with the state governments.

"We have decided on the waiver in principal and the item is being placed at the board meeting for further discussion", said Dr. V.N. Rajashekharan Pillai Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU.

The varsity had earlier, come forward by offering a programme in computer literacy to jail inmates by waiving the course fee.

This would now be extended to all courses conducted by varsity through distance education.