Oslo, July 17 (IANS) Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik has won a place to study political science at the University of Oslo but he has to remain in prison to study, a media report said on Friday.
University rector Ole Petter Ottersen said Breivik was admitted in line with regulations and “we must not allow individuals to change this”.
However, Breivik must remain in his cell and would not be able to go to university campus or have any contact with other students or staff, Xinhua reported.
Likewise, the 36-year-old cannot attend compulsory seminars or get personal guidance from staff.
Public broadcaster NRK reported that these conditions would make it difficult for Breivik to complete the degree as the bachelor’s programme in political science consists of nine compulsory courses, five of which require participation in seminars or personal guidance from staff.
Breivik first applied in 2013 to study at the university but was rejected as he didn’t have a high school diploma. After completing his diploma, he made another attempt in 2014, but was unsuccessful because his grades were insufficient.
He re-took a series of exams last year and applied again to study politics at the university earlier this year.
Breivik has been living under the highest security of any prisoner in Norway without any contact with other inmates and visits have been very limited.
The far-right extremist set off a car bomb that killed eight people outside government headquarters in Oslo on July 22, 2011, and then killed 69 others in a shooting rampage on Utoya Island, where young members of the governing Labor Party had gathered for their annual summer camp.
In 2012, the Oslo district court sentenced him to 21 years in jail.