Archive · 21 Aug 2026
RRU to Train Madhya Pradesh Officials Supporting Distressed Prisoners
Madhya Pradesh wants to help prisoners who are mentally ill or feeling very distressed.
Its Jail Department signed an agreement with Rashtriya Raksha University, or RRU.
RRU will train some prison workers to become special trainers.
Those workers will then teach their colleagues how to counsel distressed prisoners.
The first counselling centre will open at Central Jail in Bhopal.
More centres may be opened in other prisons later.
Earlier, 28 prison workers joined a seven-day training programme.
Officials said the trained workers received positive feedback after counselling prisoners.
The Madhya Pradesh Jail Department signed an MoU with Rashtriya Raksha University to improve distressed prisoners’ mental health.
Selected prison officers and employees will attend a Master Trainer Course at RRU in Gandhinagar.
Trained personnel will teach other Jail Department staff how to support mentally ill and distressed prisoners.
Madhya Pradesh’s first Psychosocial Counselling Centre will be established at Central Jail, Bhopal.
A seven-day pilot training held from July 6 to July 12 involved 28 prison employees from across the state.
- Who
- The Madhya Pradesh Jail Department and Rashtriya Raksha University, with prison officers and employees participating.
- What
- They signed an MoU to train prison personnel in improving the mental health of mentally ill and distressed prisoners.
- When
- The MoU was reported as signed on Thursday, August 20; an earlier training programme ran from July 6 to July 12.
- Where
- The agreement concerns Madhya Pradesh prisons, with training at RRU in Gandhinagar and the first counselling centre planned for Central Jail, Bhopal.
- Why
- To expand psychosocial counselling and improve support for mentally ill and distressed prisoners.
- Agreement
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Madhya Pradesh Jail Department and Rashtriya Raksha University.
- Training location
- Rashtriya Raksha University, Gandhinagar.
- Training model
- Selected personnel will complete a Master Trainer Course and train other Jail Department staff.
- First counselling centre
- Planned for Central Jail, Bhopal.
- Pilot training
- A seven-day programme was held from July 6 to July 12.
- Participants
- Twenty-eight officers and employees, including nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, head guards and guards.
- Reported outcome
- Officials said feedback from prison visits and counselling showed positive results.