Will criminals do crime reporting for media organizations now? Yes, it may be possible in coming days. As many as 67 prisoners in Bhopal Central Jail have reportedly completed their course in Journalism and that are now waiting for their certificates to be issues by a journalism institute in Bhopal. The interesting part of the story is that several prisoners are serving sentences for severe crimes such as murder and rape.

Now, they have felt the power of press and just wanted to become journalists to expose other crimes and corruption in society. One of the prisoners said that the government should give then at least three months parole for field experience. He further said that the criminal-turned-aspiring journalists wanted to go out in the field and expose corruption in the society.

According to the report, these prisoners have started doing the two-month diploma course started by the Express Media Service, said to be affiliated with the Makhanlal Chaturvedi University, Bhopal.

However, the University authorities have said that the University administration has not given anybody power to issue certificates of journalism to prisoners. So, the confusion is still in the air that whether the prisoners will receive their certificates of journalism or not.

Achutanand Mishr,Vice Chancellor, Makhanlal Chaturvedi Journalism University, said that this is a very serious matter. The institute did not take permission from the University before offering the course to prisoners. He further said that the University administration would take action against the institute.

On the other jail authority said that they allowed the prisoners to do the course for creating employment opportunities for them. Now, the University has threatened to de-affiliate the institute from running the course under it’s name that may force the inmates to search any other fresh opportunity to get the degree from any other institute.