India ex-minister, 82, passes school exam

  17 May 2017    Read: 1154
India ex-minister, 82, passes school exam
A former minister serving a jail term for corruption has passed India's school-leaving examination at the age of 82.
Om Prakash Chautala, a four-term chief minister of the northern state of Haryana, sat the class 12 exams in Delhi's Tihar jail.

His son Abhay Chautala said his father had "decided to utilise his jail term more meaningfully".

OP Chautala has been convicted of wrongdoing over the hiring of teachers.

Abhay Chautala told the Indian Express newspaper that his father "goes to the jail library daily".

"He reads newspapers and books. He asks the jail staff to arrange for his favourite books. He reads books about great politicians across the world," he said.

Mr Chautala and 54 others were convicted of forging documents to hire 3,206 teachers between 1999 and 2000.

Prosecutors said well-qualified candidates were rejected in favour of those who offered bribes for jobs.

Mr Chautala is the leader of the Indian National Lok Dal party and the son of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal.

/BBC/

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