Central Model School, which has been functioning from a rented property on AJC Bose Road for 60 years, had been asked by the Supreme Court to vacate the premises by November 30 following a dispute with the plot owner.

The deadline was set after the Beckbagan school - affiliated to the state HS council and secondary education board - failed to comply with a 2013 apex court order asking the management to vacate 220 AJC Bose Road by May 31.

The Supreme Court had on November 28, 2013, asked the state government to find "an alternative land" for the JIS Group-run school and fixed May 31, 2015, as the deadline for moving out.

The ruling followed a protracted legal battle between the JIS Group and the owner of the plot. But the problem for the school got compounded when the government made it clear that it was not possible for them to arrange a plot for a private school.

The state's stand prompted the JIS Group to move the Supreme Court on May 26 and seek a deferment of the deadline. Raj Kishore Gupta, a legal advisor to the owners of the school, said the court had deferred the deadline as many as four times till November.

"In its last order on October 16, the court had instructed the owner to vacate the school definitely by November 30," said Gupta.

"We had moved the apex court again on November 30, pleading for another postponement of the deadline on the ground that the government's decision was made known to us only recently. But the court quashed our plea," Gupta said.

State government sources clarified that they could only arrange a temporary accommodation for a private school on the premises of a government school. And for that the private school will have to pay a rent.

"There are so many private schools. If we arrange a plot for one, others will make similar pleas. We will be in trouble then," a school education department official said.

An order issued by the principal secretary in the school education department, Arnab Roy, on November 26 made it clear that the government would not arrange land for Central Model School.

"...And whereas the school has prayed to the land and land reforms department for alternative land but suitable land has not yet been found to locate the school," reads the order issued to Central Model School principal Surinder Kapoor.

The order states that the Beckbagan institution could take on rent a part of the premises of Carey High School, a government-aided institution, near Entally.

Sources in the education department said the government's decision against arranging a plot had been conveyed to the school management long ago.

"In August, the school had moved the high court highlighting the government's failure to provide them land. We then explained to the court why we were against arranging land for a private school," a department official said.

Legal officer Gupta said the high court had asked various government agencies - such as the civic body and the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority - to provide a plot at the earliest. The education department official denied the claim.