Enhancement of Child Adoption Leave to 180 days and the facility of Paternity Leave to adoptive fathers

1.            Please refer to this office letter cited above regarding grant of Child Adoption Leave for 135 days to a female railway servant on adoption of a child upto the age of one year, on the lines of maternity leave admissible to natural mother.  After implementation of the 6th Central Pay Commission’s recommendations, the period of maternity leave was enhanced from 135 days to 180 days.  The Department of Personnel & Training on consideration of representations requesting for enhancement of the period of Child Adoption Leave from 135 days to 180 days in line with the maternity leave, have issued orders enhancing the period of Child Adoption Leave from 135 days to 180 days.

2.         The matter has been considered by the Board and it has been decided to enhance the period  of              Child Adoption Leave on the Railways from 135 days to 180 days.  A female railway  servant in whose case the period of 135 days of  Child Adoption Leave has not expired on the date of issue of these orders shall also be eligible for Child Adoption Leave  of 180 days.

3.         It has also been decided that a male railway servant [including an apprentice] with less than two surviving children, on valid adoption of a child below the age of one year, may be sanctioned Paternity Leave for a period of 15 days within a period of six months from the date of valid adoption.

4.         These orders shall take effect from the date of issue of  this letter and have the concurrence of the Finance Directorate of the Ministry of Railways. 

5.         Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution, the President is pleased to direct that Rule 551 of the Indian Railway Establishment  Code, Volume-I, 1985 Edition [Second Reprint Edition-2003] may be amended as in the enclosed Advance Correction Slip No. 109. 

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ADVANCE CORRECTION SLIP TO THE INDIAN RAILWAY ESTABLISHMENT  CODE, VOLUME-I, 1985 EDITION [SECOND REPRINT EDITION-2003]

Advance Correction Slip No. 109

            Rule 551 of the I.R.E.C. Vol.I, 1985 Edition [Second Reprint Edition-2003] may be amended as under:

1.         The figure ‘135 days’ appearing in the second line of sub-rule 551[C] may be substituted with the figure ‘180 days’.

2.           A new sub-rule may be inserted below sub-rule 551[C] as sub-rule 551[D] as indicated below:

551[D] – Paternity Leave on adoption of a child

            A male railway servant [including an apprentice] with less than two surviving children, on valid adoption of a child below the age of one year, may be sanctioned Paternity Leave for a period of 15 days within a period of six months from the date of valid adoption.

[Authority: Railway Board’s ltr. No. E[P&A]I-2009/CPC/LE-11 dated 11.09.2009]