At around 2 pm, Dam went to Burdwan University campus in Burdwan town’s Golapbag area to take part in the counselling and returned to the Burdwan Correctional Home after completing the admission process.

The West Bengal correctional home Saturday approved Dam’s interim parole, allowing him to be transferred to a jail located near the university. He was shifted to Burdwan Correctional Home from Hooghly on Sunday.

“I hope there are no more complications regarding me taking admission in the PhD course,” said Dam, adding that he “would have not made this far” without the support of Burdwan University officials, Correctional Administration department officials, and the state government.

“The six-month PhD course work will begin after August 7,” said the history department head at Burdwan University Syed Tanveer Nasreen, adding that, “he will be able to attend physical classes with a police escort”.

Barring some minimum paperwork regarding course fee submission, there is practically no hurdle for Dam to attend classes, she said.

Nasreen said that it will be easier for him to attend regular classes, given that he has been transferred to Burdwan Correctional Home. “I had a talk with his welfare officer who sounded very supportive of the entire matter,” she said. According to her, three classes will be held per week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

On July 8, the Burdwan University paused the counselling process for all prospective students’ admission for the six-month course. Dam, who had topped the interviews, had started a fast last week since he could not enrol. He broke his fast after he was shifted to a different jail.

Dam is serving a life sentence for his role in the 2010 attack on an Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp at Sildah in Jhargram district.