VIP Life In Jail: How 'Gazetted Class' Prisoners Live Differently Behind Bars

Last Updated:September 05, 2025, 16:10 IST

The jail manual lays out a 'Gazetted Class' status which is extended to individuals who are considered "civilised, educated and respected" in their previous lifestyle

Category-A inmates receive private cells and special privileges. (Represnetative Image)

For most people, the very mention of jail conjures up grim images of iron gates, overcrowded barracks, harsh rules and prisoners engaged in backbreaking labour. Yet, behind those high walls exists another reality – one that offers comfort, privilege and even dignity. For a select group of inmates, jail is not punishment but an alternative world where facilities are far beyond the imagination of ordinary prisoners.

These inmates belong to what is known in jail parlance as the “gazetted" or “superior" class of prisoners. In some states, they are referred to as Category-A inmates. Their presence highlights a striking contrast within India’s prison system, where rules, living conditions and treatment vary widely depending on one’s social and professional background.

How Prisoners Are Classified

According to the jail manual, prisoners in India are broadly divided into categories:

1. Undertrial prisoners: Those whose cases are pending in court and whose guilt has not yet been proven.
2. Convicted prisoners: Those found guilty by a court and sentenced accordingly.
3. Civil prisoners: Individuals facing civil, rather than criminal, proceedings.
4. Detainees: Persons held under preventive detention laws such as the National Security Act (NSA).

But these broad categories do not tell the full story. Many states further subdivide inmates into smaller groups, at the top of which sit the so-called “gazetted class" or Category-A prisoners.

Who Qualifies As A ‘Gazetted Class’ Prisoner?

The jail manual lays out clear, though controversial, criteria. ‘Gazetted Class’ status is extended to individuals who are considered “civilised, educated and respected" in their previous lifestyle. In practice, this means politicians, ministers, Members of Parliament or Legislative Assemblies, prominent businessmen, high-ranking officers, professors, writers, and even social workers.

For these individuals, prison life bears little resemblance to the experience of common inmates. Instead, they are accorded a set of privileges that make their stay markedly different.

Facilities For ‘Gazetted Class’ Prisoners

1. Living quarters: ‘Gazetted’ prisoners are usually allotted private cells. If housed in barracks, they are kept only with inmates of similar status. Their quarters come furnished with a bed, small table, stool, lamp and mosquito net; items denied to the average prisoner.
2. Food and utensils: They are provided with separate glasses, cups, plates, jugs and spoons, setting them apart from others who eat from shared or basic jail utensils.
3. Work assignments: Hard labour is off the table. Instead, they may be tasked with lighter duties such as managing the prison library, teaching fellow inmates, or writing letters.

While most prisoners endure crowded spaces, strict rations and menial work, ‘Gazetted Class’ inmates live with relative ease. Their punishment is limited largely to being cut off from the outside world; the rest of their routine resembles a toned-down version of their former lives.

The system has drawn scrutiny for years. Critics argue that it perpetuates inequality inside institutions that are supposed to treat every prisoner equally under the law. Supporters, however, claim that individuals from intellectual or professional backgrounds cannot be expected to survive the same conditions as hardened criminals.

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