Page No.# 1/9 GAHC010285632025 2025:GAU-AS:17752 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WP(C)/7449/2025 SARBANANDA BORAH AND 43 ORS S/O LT. BHUP CH. BORAHVILL RAWANA GAON, P.O. TATAYAP.S KAMALABARI, DISTRICT MAJULI PIN 785106 2: SRI ANANTA KR SATOLA S/O LT. SANTORAM SATOLA VILL DHAPAK GAON P.O. KAMALABARIP.S. KAMALABARI DISTRICT MAJULIPIN 785106 3: MRS GAYATRI BORA HAZARIKA C/O LT. HEM BORAVILL GOAL GAON P.S. GARAMURDISTRICT MAJULI PIN 785104 4: SRI GOBIN BORAH C/O LT. KEHMAN BORAHVILL GOAL GAON P.O. GOAL GAONP.S. GARAMUR DISTRICT MAJULIPIN 785104 5: SRI DIGEN SAIKIA C/O LT. CHANDRA SAIKIAVILL GOAL GAON P.O. GOAL GAONP.S. GARAMUR DISTRICT MAJULIPIN 785104 6: SRI BIJOY DOLEY C/O LT. LALU DOLEYVILL MALAPINDHA P.O. GOAL GAONP.S. GARAMUR DISTRICT MAJULIPIN 785104 7: SRI RAMESH PAYENG C/O LT. TARUN PAYENG VILL BORGOYA P.O. BORGOYAP.S. GARAMUR. DISTRICT MAJULIPIN 785106 Page No.# 2/9 8: SRI RAMEN PAYENG C/O LT. RAGHUNATH PZAYENGVILL BORGOYA P.O. BORGOYAP.S. GARAMUR DISTRICT MAJULIPIN 785106 9: SRI RAMESH PATIR C/O LT. KAMALA PATIR VILL MALAPINDHA P.O. GOAL GAONP.S. GARAMUR DISTRICT MAJULI PIN 785104 10: SRI BHUPEN MILI C/O LT. COLLEN MILI VILL NATUN CHAPORI P.O.BALICHAPORI P.S. GARAMURDISTRICT MAJULI PIN 785104 11: SRI BHOLA PHUKAN S/O LT. BARURAM PHUKANVILL GOAL GAON P.O. GOAL GAONP.S. GARAMUR DISTRICT MAJULIPIN 785104 12: MRS PUSPA SONOWAL D/O LT. SURENDRA NATH SONOWALVILL NO. 1 MORICHA PATHERP.O. P.S. BIHPURIADISTRICTLAKHIMPUR PIN 784161 13: MRS ANJUMONI NEOG D/O LT. LOKENATH NEOGVILL RAJBARI P.O. P.S.BIHPURIAPIN784161 DISTRICT LAKHIMPUR 14: SRI SHITAL SINGH S/O LT. HARBHAJAN SINGHVILL BIHPURIA WARD NO 4P.O. P.S. BIHPURIAPIN784161 DISTRICT LAKHIMPUR 15: SRI DIMBESWAR DUTTA S/O LT. KAMAL DUTTAVILL DAKUAH P.O.P.S.BIHPURIAPIN784161 DISTRICT LAKHIMPUR 16: MR DIGANTA SONOWAL S/O BAKUL SONOWALVILL NO. 2 MORICHA PATHERP.O. P.S. BIHPURIAPIN784161 DISTRICT LAKHIMPUR 17: MS MADHABI RAJKHUWA Page No.# 3/9 D/O LT. JIBA KANTA RAJKHUWAVILL SRIBHUYANP.O. AND P.S. BIHPURIAPIN784161 DISTRICT LAKHIMPUR 18: MS HIRA PROVA DEURI D/O LT. GUNABHIRAMDEURIVILL P.O. BORDEURIP.S. NARAYANPUR PIN 784164DISTRICT LAKHIMPUR 19: SRI AMRIT NARAYAN KUMBANG S/O LT. PHUL KUMBANGVILL BAGHMORA P.O. BORKHAMUKHPIN 787055 DIST LAKHIMPUR 20: SRI BIREN HAZARIKA S/O LT. MANIK HAZARIKAVILL BORAIKHANA P.O. HAMARATHANP.S. BIHPURIA PIN 784161DISTRICT LAKHIMPUR 21: SRI MIYESH DEURI S/O LT. GAJAI SINGH DEURIVILL MAJARCHAPARI P.O. KINAPATHER P.S. NARAYANPURPIN 784164 DIST LAKHIMPUR 22: SRI PRANAB SONOWAL S/O LT. PIYALAL SONOWALVILL NO. 1 MORICHAPATHERP.O. P.S. BIHPURIAPIN 784161 DIST LAKHIMPUR 23: SRI PRAFULLA SAIKIA S/O LUHIRAM SAIKIAVILL BARHAMPURBEJARGAONP.O BARHAMPUR DIST NAGAON PIN 782102 24: MS MALABIKA BORA D/O LT. GUGAL CH. BORAVILL TILA BARBARI P.O BAMUNIDISTRICT NAGAON PIN 782102 25: SRI ARUPJYOTI GOGOI S/O LT. BHOGESWAR GOGOIVILL AND P.O. CHAPANALLADISTRICT NAGAON PIN 782135 26: MR BIHU RAM RONGPI S/O LT. NABIN RONGPIVILL SOCHENGDHENTA P.O. BAMUNIDISTRICT NAGAON PIN 782102 Page No.# 4/9 27: SRI BUDHESWAR BASUMATARI S/O LT. DHANIRAM BASUMATARIVILL BARBARI KACHARIGAONP.O. CHAPANALLA DIST NAGAON PIN 782135 28: MRS RENU MAI ENGTIPI W/O LT. MANGALSINGHLEKTHEVILL BAMUNIKARBIGAONP.O. BAMUNI DISTRICT NAGAON PIN 782102 29: SRI DHONSING INGTI S/O LT. SARBURAINGTIVILL SOCHENGDHENTAP.O. BAMUNI DISTRICT NAGAON PIN 782102 30: SRI BINOY SAINARY S/OSOBHA RAM BRAHMAVILL UTTARPARA P.O. BAGANPARAP.S. BARBARI DISTRICT BAKSAPIN 782135. 31: MS PRATIVA DAS BARUAH W/O UMESH BRAHMAVILL PAKHAMARA P.O.PAKHAMARAP.S . BARBARI DISTRICT BAKSAPIN 781343 32: SRI MANOJ KR NARZARY S/O LAKSHMI KANTA BAROVILL SHOLMARI BAGANPARAP.O. BAGANPARA P.S. BARBARI DISTRICT BAKSA PIN 782135 33: SRI JYOTISH TALUKDAR S/O LT. HARI MOHAN TALUKDARVILL ADLA P.O. BAGANPARAP.S . BARBARI DISTRICT BAKSAPIN 782135 34: SRI SORBESWAR HAZARIKA S/O ABANI HAZARIKAVILL BAGANPARA P.O. BAGANPARAP.S . BARBARI DISTRICT BAKSAPIN 782135 35: SRI DILIP KR BARO S/O BABUL BAROVILL UTTARPARA P.O. BAGANPARAP.S . BARBARI DISTRICT BAKSAPIN 783125 36: SRI PRINCE BARO S/O LT. DHANESWAR BAROVILL UTTARPARA P.O. BAGANPARAP.S . BARBARI DISTRICT BAKSAPIN 782135 Page No.# 5/9 37: SRI JAYANTA KR DAS S/O BIDHU BHUSHAN DASVILL KHUTABARI P.O BAGDOBADISTRICT GOALPARA PIN 783123 38: SRI PABITRA RABHA S/O LT. SUREN CH. RABHAVILL CHHOTOMATIA P.O CHHOTOMATIA DIST GOALPARAPIN 783126 39: SRI SIBA RAM DAIMARY S/O LT. PRANESWAR DAIMARYVILL SIALMARI P.O. DUDHNOIDISTRICT GOALPARA PIN 783124 40: SRI RAJIB RABHA S/O LT. PORESH RABHAVILL BHUISHKHULI P.O. BHALUKDUBIDISTRICT GOALPARA PIN 783101 41: SRI ACHYUTANANDA RABHA S/O SARAT CH. RABHAVILL NOWAPARA P.O. CHHOTOMATIA DIST GOALPARAPIN 783126 42: SRI PRAN NARAYAN RABHA S/O SWARAJ RABHAVILL NOWAPARA P.O. CHHOTOMATIADISTRICT GOALPARA PIN 783126 43: MRS SUMATI RABHA W/O CHALIHA RABHA VILL P.O CHHOTOMATIADISTRICT GOALPARA PIN 783126 44: SRI BIRAJ RABHA S/O MEGHNATH RABHA VILL P.O. CHHOTOMATIADISTRICT GOALPARA PIN 78312 VERSUS THE UNION OF INDIA AND 4 ORS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS, JEEVANTARA BUILDING, NEW DELHI-110001 2:THE STATE OF ASSAM REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM Page No.# 6/9 SKILL EMPLOYMENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP CRAFTSMEN DEPARTMENT DISPUR GUWAHATI -6. 3:THE DIRECTOR DIRECTORATE OF EMPLOYMENT CRAFTSMEN TRAINING ASSAM REHABARI GUWAHATI 8. 4:THE DIRECTOR DIRECTORATE OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS PLAINS ASSAM RUKMINI NAGAR GUWAHATI 6. 5:THE STATE COUNCIL FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING ASSAM REPRESENTED BY THE CHAIRPERSON R.G.BARUA ROAD GUWAHATI 781024 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR B P BORAH, Advocate for the Respondent : DY.S.G.I., SC, EMPLOYMENT AND CRAFTSMAN TRAINING,SC, WPT AND BC,GA, ASSAM BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ROBIN PHUKAN ORDER 19.12.2025 Heard Mr. B.P. Borah, learned counsel for the petitioners; Ms. A. Gayan, learned Central Government Counsel (CGC) for the respondent No. 1; Mr. S.P. Das, learned counsel for the respondent Nos. 2 & 3; and Mr. R. Dhar, learned standing counsel for the Department of Tribal Affairs, being respondent No. 4. None appears for the respondent No. 5. Page No.# 7/9 2. In this petition, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioners have prayed for issuing direction to the respondent authorities to take immediate steps for revival/restart their Vocational Training Centers (VTCs hereinafter) by allowing them to start the academic sessions by making necessary provisions for fund, etc. considering the report dated 31.08.2024, issued by the Directorate of Tribal Affairs (Plain), Assam, being Annexure – 10. 3. Mr. Borah, learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the respondent authorities had established 10 VTCs in the State of Assam, in the year 1996 – 1997, with the fund provided under the Central Sectoral Scheme, under grants in aid. Thereafter, in the said VTCs, the petitioners were appointed as Instructor, Attendant, Chaukidar, etc. and have been imparting their trainings to Schedule Tribe unemployed youths. 3.1. Mr. Borah further submits that the said VTCs were granted affiliation to the State Council For Vocational Training, vide order dated 14.06.2013, issued by the Directorate of Employment and Craftsmen Training Assam and since then, the trainees of the said VTCs had been appearing in their final trade test in the nearest Government ITIs. 3.2. It is also the submission of Mr. Borah that the respondent No. 2 had stopped enrollment of trainees in the VTCs from the year 2019 – 2020 onwards, due to non-receipt of yearly grants for the honorarium and stipend payable to the trainees and that since 2016 – 2017, the honorarium and stipend payable to the trainees were not released by the respondent authorities and the pending arrears were cleared only in the month of May, 2023. However, no steps have been taken for Page No.# 8/9 starting the academic sessions in the VTCs and as such; the petitioners are rendered jobless since then. 3.3. Mr. Borah also submits that the petitioners have approached the respondent authorities on several occasions, redressal of their grievances and requested the authorities to take steps to start the academic sessions in the VTCs. But, the respondent authorities have not taken any steps to start the academic sessions of the VTCs till date. 3.4. Further submission of Mr. Borah is that the petitioners, after their engagement in the year 1996 – 1997 onwards, have been maintaining their livelihood by serving in the said VTCs and due to non-functioning of the VTCs, they have been suffering from financial hardship in maintaining their livelihood and therefore, the petitioners had approached the respondent authorities by filing a representation. But, the same failed to evoke any response. 3.5. Mr. Borah also submits that the Directorate of Tribal Affairs (Plain), Assam, had prepared one status report of 10 VTCs of Assam, on 31.08.2024 and on the basis of the same, the respondent authorities may be directed to dispose of the representation filed by the petitioners on 20.06.2024. 4. Per-contra, Mr. Dhar, learned standing counsel for the Tribal Affairs, submits that the representation, dated 20.06.2024, filed by the petitioners was addressed to the Chief Minister of Assam and as such, no direction can be issued to consider the said representation. However, he submits that the petitioners may be directed to file a fresh Page No.# 9/9 representation before the respondent authorities and also to direct the respondent authorities to consider the same in the light of the status report, dated 31.08.2024, prepared by the Directorate of Tribal Affairs (Plain), Assam. 5. Accordingly, taking note of the submissions of learned counsel for both the parties and as agreed upon, this Court is inclined to dispose of this petition by directing the petitioners to file a fresh representation before the respondent authorities, more particularly, the respondent Nos. 2 & 3; within a period of 1 (one) week from the date of receipt of the certified copy of this order. And on such representation being received, the respondent authorities shall consider the same in the light of the status report, dated 31.08.2024, prepared by the Directorate of Tribal Affairs (Plain), Assam, within a period of 8 (eight) weeks from the date of the receipt of the certified copy of this order. 6. In terms of above, this writ petition stands disposed of, leaving the parties to bear their own costs. JUDGE Comparing Assistant