The Gauhati High Court has disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that safeguards the playground of the historic Tezpur Academy Higher Secondary School from being converted into a parking lot.
The case, which began in 2023 when the Tezpur Municipal Board received permission to repurpose the playground, concluded on April 10, 2025, when the court acknowledged the formal revocation of the parking proposal.
Four former students—Tarek Akhtar Ansari, Narayan Barman, Rajib Barua, and Bhupen Bhuyan—initiated the legal challenge under case number PIL/79/2023. Their determination paid off when Government Advocate R.B. Borah presented documentation confirming the Municipal Board’s withdrawal of its request.
The ruling by Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice N. Unni Krishnan Nair represents more than just the preservation of recreational space. It stands as a testament to the importance of protecting educational facilities and the cultural significance they hold.
Tezpur Academy itself represents a powerful symbol of resistance and educational autonomy. Established by freedom fighters in defiance of the 1930 Cunningham Circular—which attempted to prevent students from participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement against British rule—the institution carries profound historical importance in Assam’s cultural landscape.
Beyond preserving the playground, the former students have outlined an ambitious vision for the school’s future. In December 2024, they granted a No Objection Certificate for new construction while advocating for the preservation of heritage Assam-type buildings on the campus, in accordance with the Assam Heritage Protection Act of 2020.
Their vision includes modern educational initiatives alongside traditional values—proposing training in coding, robotics, blockchain technology, and 3D printing, while also emphasizing the importance of Assamese language skills and cultural education.
“This legal victory is not simply a victory for the litigator ex-students or present students,” noted the petitioners in their statement. “It is a victory for the people of Tezpur, for future generations, and most importantly, for the legacy of the freedom fighters who established the institution.”
