DoPT notifies rules to allow ‘child care leave’ for 730 days

New Delhi, July 29

The government has extended the benefit of special ‘child care leave’ of two years (730 days) to women and single male members of the All India Services, such as IAS, IPS and IFoS, with a condition that such facility “may not be availed for a period of less than five days in a spell”.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) notified an amendment to the All India Service (Leave) Rules, 1955 and clarified that for purpose of this rule, “single male refers to an unmarried or widower or divorcee male member of the service”, as applicable to other central service officials.

“The Centre in consultation with the governments of the states concerned,” has decided to amend the All India Services (Leave) Rules, 1955 to grant “child care leave” to IAS, IPS and IFoS officers on the lines of the facility availed by other central services officials, the notification read.

“Subject to the provisions of this rule, a female member of the service and single male member of the service may be granted child care leave by an authority competent to sanction leave for a maximum period of 730 days during the entire service,” it stated.