The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued detailed guidelines to all states and Union Territories to counter radicalisation within correctional facilities, recognising prisons as vulnerable spaces where extremist ideologies can flourish. In response, Gujarat has emerged at the forefront in implementing these directives, with a structured focus on inmate surveillance, rehabilitation, and institutional reforms.
KLN Rao, Director General of Police, Prisons and Correctional Administration, Gujarat, told&nbsp;Benefit News, &ldquo;Gujarat is leading in maintaining the guidelines provided by the Home Ministry across India. We have carried out extensive rehabilitation and counselling sessions for inmates as well as jail officials.&rdquo;
He emphasised the proactive stance taken to prevent radical narratives from gaining traction within prisons and said, &ldquo;Gujarat prisons have maintained constant surveillance and monitoring on radicalisation.&rdquo;
The MHA guidelines stress the importance of segregating radicalised or high-risk prisoners from the general prison population to prevent indoctrination. States have been advised to establish independent high-security complexes for hardened and radicalised inmates or, where not feasible, designate specific blocks or wings to ensure separation.&nbsp;
The advisory noted that prisons, due to isolation, lack of oversight and closed social dynamics, can inadvertently support radical belief systems. &ldquo;Radicalisation in prisons is becoming an increasingly critical challenge in the global context and is often found to be a precursor to several criminal activities,&rdquo; the Ministry wrote.
The MHA also underscored the need for standardised screening tools to assess inmates&rsquo; behavioural and ideological inclinations, recommending periodic risk assessments at admission and throughout incarceration. These tools are to be supported by intelligence inputs to identify individuals posing a threat of radical influence.
Further, the Ministry has directed states to hold regular, individualised de-radicalisation programmes, including counselling by mental health professionals, cognitive behavioural therapy, and engagement with qualified religious scholars and social workers. Family contact has also been highlighted as a stabilising factor in inmate reform.
As part of its reformative efforts, Gujarat has partnered with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) under an existing Memorandum of Understanding. This collaboration aims to strengthen prison administration and prisoner rehabilitation. &ldquo;Our MoU with RRU are in place to make the prisons more secure and safe,&rdquo; Rao stated. The agreement includes training programmes for prison staff on security protocols, capacity building, and management strategies.
Through the RRU partnership, Gujarat Prison Department also engages in joint research and development initiatives to explore innovative prison reforms and adopts technological tools, including drone surveillance, to enhance monitoring.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We are implementing several ways to maintain discipline,&rdquo; Rao added, highlighting internal restructuring for security enhancement.
RRU, recognised for its expertise in national security and policing, contributes international insights through its global collaborations, benefiting Gujarat&rsquo;s correctional system. The partnership also features targeted programmes in criminal law and prison welfare to foster a professional and skilled prison workforce.
The Home Ministry had earlier written to states in 2018 and 2023, recommending segregation, surveillance, and counselling of radicalised inmates. As a further step, it issued a &lsquo;Model Prison Manual, 2016&rsquo; and the &lsquo;Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023&rsquo;, providing structured guidelines for inmate classification and the creation of high-security prison enclosures.
The MHA has encouraged the creation of secure databases on radicalised individuals to support monitoring, research, and policy development. The states have been urged to conduct workshops and simulations to equip prison staff with tools to identify early signs of radicalisation and develop standard operating procedures for handling such inmates.
These efforts, as per the MHA, are aimed at reducing risks of violent extremism, ensuring national security, and supporting the reintegration of inmates into society.&nbsp;
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Counselling, monitoring, and RRU tie-up drive Gujarat’s anti-radicalisation prison efforts.

Gujarat Leads in Prison Reform and De-Radicalisation

Counselling, monitoring, and RRU tie-up drive Gujarat’s anti-radicalisation prison efforts.

July 15, 2025 | 22:19 IST