(1)A convicted inmate sentenced to rigorous imprisonment shall, and a convicted inmate sentenced to simple imprisonment or an undertrial inmate, if and as long as he so desires, may be engaged in work, which shall not be of an afflictive, degrading or humiliating nature, and which shall, so far as may be practicable, especially in the case of a convicted inmate sentenced to imprisonment for a relatively long term, be in the form of such vocational training as will maintain or increase his ability to earn a living after release.(2)No inmate engaged in work shall be kept to labour for more than eight hours in any one day, except on an emergency and with the sanction in writing of the Superintendent.(3)The Medical Officer shall from time to time and at least once in every month examine every inmate engaged in work and cause his weight to be taken and entered in such record as may be prescribed, and when the Medical Officer is of opinion that the physical or mental health of any such inmate is or is likely to be adversely affected by the kind of work or class of labour in which he is engaged, such inmate shall be placed on such other kind of work or class of labour as the Medical Officer may consider suited for him.(4)A convicted inmate not sentenced to rigorous imprisonment or an undertrial inmate, who is engaged in work at his own desire, shall be entitled to the scale of diet prescribed for inmates on labour; and a convicted inmate sentenced to rigorous imprisonment, who refuses to work, shall be entitled to the scale of diet prescribed for inmates not on labour.(5)The State Government may, by rules made under this Act, provide for remuneration to the inmates engaged in work under the provisions of sub-section (1), as incentive but not as compensation, for such work, subject to due performance of the prescribed quantum of work and depending upon the kind of work or class of labour or the type of institution.(6)Out of the earnings of an inmate remunerated as aforesaid, any amount shall be allowed to be spent by the inmate on payment of fine, compensation, cost or security as ordered by the Court or on payment to his legal adviser for services rendered to him; a prescribed part of the earnings shall be allowed to be spent by the inmate on approved articles for his use and to be sent by him to his family; and the rest of his earnings shall be set aside by the Superintendent so as to constitute a savings fund to be handed over to the inmate on his release from prison.(7)A convicted inmate sentenced to simple imprisonment or an undertrial inmate, who is engaged in work at his own desire, shall not be punished for neglect of work.
