Principals to seek approval to avail earned leave for vacation

The Department of Higher Education (DHE) authorities have issued directives in this regard. Now, the principals would also have to provide the details of work done during the vacations and the biometric attendance while claiming for earned leaves.

“There is no summer vacation for non-teaching employees in the colleges, hence they work as usual. If needed, the principals came to the office during the vacations for administrative and other work. They are entitled to get earned leave in lieu of performing duties in summer vacations. Earlier, no prior approval was required for it, but now they will have to get prior approval,” said principal of a local college on anonymity.

Sources maintained the directives had been issued on receiving the information that some of the principals donot work full working hours on vacation days but they send their applications to the head office for earned leave in lieu of it.

“It has been observed that the principals/officiating principals at government colleges send their matters to grant them benefit of earned leave in lieu of work done during summer vacation from time-to-time whereas they don't seek prior approval of the competent authority as per provision contained in Haryana Civil Service (leave) Rules 2016 under rule 36(2). Due to non-seeking prior approval, the department has to face difficulty in sanctioning earned leave for the period of summer vacation,” reads a communiqué sent by the DHE to the principals recently.

It further states that besides it, some principals depute the associate/assistant professor to work during summer vacation at their own level in place of him, which is against the rules. Moreover, some principals send their incomplete cases without detail of work done and biometric attendance, which is inappropriate, and the department has to face difficulty to assess whether the officer has actually performed duty during summer vacation or not?

“In view of above, all principals are directed to seek prior approval of the competent authorities to perform duties during summer vacation and also to send complete case along with the details of the work done and biometric attendance otherwise their application for earned leave will not be entertained,” the communique adds.