What Are the 7th Pay Commission Leave Rules in India?

Currently, Central Government officers serve five days a week as working days, which leads to 104 days of holidays in a year (adding all weekends). Additionally, there are 19 holidays, among which 3 are National Holidays, 2 Restricted Holidays and 14 Gazetted Holidays.

Moreover, 30 days Earned Leave, 20 days Half Pay Leave, and 8 days Casual Leave is available for Civilian Government employees. Apart from these, there are other leaves that Central Government employees can enjoy as per the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission leave rules.

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Willing to know about them? Read along!

Here is a list of all leave rules of the 7th Pay Commission -

1. Casual Leave

Causal leaves allow Central Government employees to manage emergency tasks or events by taking leave on that day. Presently, personnel involved in various Central Government jobs can get 8 Casual Leaves in a year. This number rises to 30 days for Defence PBORS, 20 days for Defence Officers and 10 days for Industrial workers.

The employees of different categories especially working in Railways get Casual Leave ranging from 11 to 13 days. They have urged to increase CLs to 12 days for other Central Government employees and 15 days for Industrial Workers.

2. Child Care Leave (CCL)

As per the CCL leave rules in 7th pay commission, Central Government allots a maximum time of 2 years (730 days) to female Central Government employees to take care of children of up to 18 years.

Employees have demanded to convert this leave into ‘Family care leave’, which focuses mainly on male parents and single male parents.

The Central Government grants CCL 100% of leave salary in the first year and 80% in the second year. This type of leave is available for single male parents, including widowers, divorcees, and unmarried employers. Additionally, while the government grants single female employees six spells in a calendar year, other eligible employees can get the highest 3 spells in a calendar year.

3. Child Adoption Leave

The Central Government allows Child Adoption Leave of 135 days to female Government servants for adopting a child of below 1 year when she has fewer than 2 surviving children.

4. Earned Leave or Leave on Average Pay

Days regarding Earned Leave are set at 60 days and 30 days for Defence personnel and Civilian employees, respectively. Central Government employees can accumulate EL for up to 300 days. Employees have suggested increasing this number to 450 days and granting 50% of collected EL after 20 years of total service years. 7th Pay Commission leave encashment rules are likely to remain as usual. Further, authorities made suggestions to delink the encashment of leave from LTC.

Though a suggestion of gifting Earned Leave aroused, the Commission did not accept it as the demand deranks the concept of Earned Leave.

Additionally, ‘Vocational staffs’ urged to restore previous 10 days (in 7th Pay Commission) Earned Leave instead of 20 days Half Day leave as recommended in 6th Pay Commission. The 7th Pay Commission is in view to take this suggestion.

5. Commuted Leave

Currently, the 7th Pay Commission leave rules allow Central Government servants to take CL in exchange for half pay leave. This is admissible only when one submits a medical certificate. Though employees demanded to eliminate the need to furnish medical certificates, the 7th Pay Commission did not accept this demand.

6. Furlough Leave

Only Defence personnel can get the benefit of Furlough Leave for up to 60 days. It is available at half pay once in three years.

Furlough Leave was functional before the Independence era. Since officers can take double the Earned Leave and a substantial amount of Casual Leave, the continuation of FL is dismissed.

7. Hospital Leave

Hospital Leave is available for Group C Railway employees in case they get injured while on official duties. To take this leave, Group C Railway employees have to submit a medical certificate.

Employees can get 100% pay for the first 120 days and 50% payment after the specified period. Group C Railway employees can take this leave combined with other leaves they are eligible for. Note, the total number of leaves must not cross the threshold of 28 months.

8. Half Pay Leave

As per Half Pay Leave rules of 7th Pay Commission, 20 days of HPL is available for each year of service completed. Individuals will have half of this leave balance in their leave account in January and in July of every year. Employees have demanded to encash equivalent amounts at the time of retirement. Approving this demand would lower the merit of this leave.

9. Special Casual Leave

This type of leave is admissible when Central Government employees are absent at work for attending sports events, cultural activities, Trade Union meetings, Voluntary Blood donation etc. The Central Government pays these leaves in full. Government employees have demanded to extend SCL to organ donors till the time they get fit to work.

10. Extra-Ordinary Leave

As per the 7th Pay Commission leave rules, Central Government servants can apply for this leave when no other type of leave is available, or the Central Government employee has applied for Extra-Ordinary Leave in writing. Employees cannot get a salary for requesting such leave. Additionally, taking this leave does not impact the total leave account.

11. Leave Not Due

The Central Government approves this leave when an employee applies specifically for Leave Not Due because of unavailability of half-day leave. Further, the Central Government grants this leave upon submitting a medical certificate and after getting the assurance that the concerned employee will return to work once leave days end. An employee can take this leave up to 360 days during the entire service life, which will be debited against half-day leaves that they may earn. Employees have raised no demands regarding this leave. 

12. Maternity Leave

Female Central Government employees can take ML up to 180 days for pregnancy. Further, the abortion leave rules in 7th Pay Commission states that female employees can take 45 days of leave in the entire service life for miscarriage or abortion. Female employees can avail this benefit combined with other leave for up to 2 years without submitting any medical certificate.

Employees demanded to increase days from 180 to 240 with full pay and further 120 days with half pay. Since the existing number already witnessed a hike from 135 to 180 under 6th Central Pay Commission and ‘Period of Continuation’ rose from 1 year to 2 years; the ongoing Commission did not pass the demand.

13. Paternity Leave

Paternity leave rules in 7th pay commission allow male employees with less than 2 surviving kids to take 15 days of leave while their spouse recovers from delivery. Further, they (with less than 2 surviving kids) can take this leave while adopting a child of below 1 year within 6 months from date of adoption. Employees demanded to increase the existing number to 30. However, the number of days seemed adequate to the concerning authority. Hence, the authority did not pass this demand.

14. Study Leave

The Central Government grants its employees Study Leave for 24 months (36 months for CHS officers) for higher studies or specialised training concerning their job role as civil servants. Here, employees must complete more than 5 years of service life.

15. Sick Leave

7th Pay Commission leave rules grant SL to defence personnel if sickness is attributable or aggravated by service conditions. This leave allows 100% pay at the time of hospitalisation. Additionally, defence personnel can get 100% pay along with other allowances for the first 6 months and only 100% pay in the next 18-24 months. This limit is not applicable for Personnel Below Officers' Rank (PBORs).

16. Special Disability Leave

If Civilian employees get injured accidentally or intentionally while on duty, they will get full pay for the first 120 days and a half pay afterwards. They can combine this leave with any other leave exceeding not more than 24 months.

Employees demanded to remove the upper limit of 24 months and put the duration of leave entirely at the doctor’s discretion. Further, employees urged to ensure 100% pay for the entire period.

Please note, the Central Government grants three different leaves, namely Hospital Leave, Special Disability Leave and Sick Leave for civilians and defence personnel. However, to differentiate between the nature of duties of civilians and defence personnel, and to compensate for the risk they take; some changes were required in the leave structure. These include -

• Hospital Leave, Sick Leave and Special Disability Leave merged in a new Leave named Work Related Illness and Injury Leave (WRIIL).
• All employees will get Full pay and allowances during the period of hospitalisation taken on WRIIL.

Apart from hospitalisation benefits, WRIIL will offer the following -

• After the hospitalisation period; Defence officers, CAPFs, Indian Coast Guard will get Full pay and allowances for the 6 months and 100% pay only for the next 24 months.
• After hospitalisation period; Civilian employees, and Police Forces of Union Territories personnel, RPF employees will get 100% pay and allowances for the 6 months and 50% Pay only for 12 months afterwards. They can exchange the Half Pay period for full pay.
• CAPFs, Indian Coast Guard, Personnel Below Officers' Rank of Defence will receive 100% pay and allowances and without any limit on period.
• Employees on WRIIL cannot get any Half Pay Leave or Earned Leave during that time.
• For persons falling under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923, the authorities will balance the amount of leave salary payable under WRIIL by a compensation amount payable under the Act.

The above discourse gives a comprehensive idea regarding the 7th Pay Commission leave rules. Central Government employees must read these details to avail the benefits that come with various leave related rules.

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