Convicted for conspiring in a murder case about eight years ago, Raju pursued bachelors in social work from IGNOU during his stay at Tihar Jail. The hard work paid off as Raju has been offered an annual package of Rs 4,20,000 during a placement drive in the prison.
Set to be released soon, Raju is among 66 other inmates who showed interest in having a respectable job when they face the outside world. All 66 received job offers from 31 companies whose representatives had arrived at the jail premises on Tuesday.
“They were willing to take as many inmates as we could provide,” claimed Rajesh Chauhan, superintendent, central jail number three. This number is considerably more than the 30 inmates who were hired last year.
The salary packages varied from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 4.2 lakh per annum. The job profile ranges from housekeeping staff to consultants. The companies that showed interest in hiring the inmates include People’s Own Foundation, Tajmahal Group of Companies, Da Pizza hutt, Vedanta Foundation and Universal Enterprises.
The Tajmahal Group of Companies showed interest in Raju, offering him the position of an assistant business development manager. He worked as a daily wage labourer with his brother and had studied only till class V when he was sent to jail. But he chose to continue with his studies while in jail.
He took special interest in English and today he speaks the language fluently. That played a key role in him obtaining a job, said prison authorities.
Despite the large number of inmates participating in the placement drive, there were no women takers.