New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) As a New Year gift, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Thursday declared that it will provide free education to prisoners henceforth.

'All jail inmates in the country will now be able to access free and quality education according to their choice,' a senior administrator of IGNOU said.

In a notice to all its regional directors, heads of schools, divisions and centres, the registrar of the university said that the decision was pursuant to approval by the university's apex controlling body, the Board of Management (BoM).

'This is an opportunity offered to them, to return to the mainstream of life with quality education and future development both morally and vocationally,' said the notification.

Besides the fees of their choice educational programmes, the jail inmates now onwards will not be required to pay even the examination and late fees.

'They can enrol any time of the year, appear as and when they are ready for taking their examinations and get certificates which will ensure them vocational advantage as well as access to quality life,' the official said.