The Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972 govern leave entitlements for Central Government employees. Issued under article 309 of the Constitution and the proviso to article 148(5), these rules consolidate every category of leave that a civilian employee can apply for, the conditions under which it can be granted, the manner of its accumulation, and how it can be encashed at retirement. The Rules have been amended several times; the version cited here reflects amendments through to early 2026.
The structure of the Rules
The CCS (Leave) Rules are arranged in five chapters: General (definitions, scope, application), Leave Entitlement (the categories listed below), Leave Salary (rate of payment during leave), Procedure (sanction, application, joining), and Special Categories (probationers, contract employees, vacation department employees). The First Schedule lists vacation departments. The forms for leave application and combination are appended.
Categories of leave at a glance
| Leave | Annual entitlement | Maximum accumulation | Pay during leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earned Leave (EL) | 30 days (15+15) | 300 days | Full pay |
| Half Pay Leave (HPL) | 20 days | No limit | Half pay |
| Commuted Leave | From HPL balance | Subject to HPL | Full pay (twice the HPL debited) |
| Leave Not Due (LND) | Up to 360 days in service | Limited | Half pay (set off against future HPL) |
| Casual Leave (CL) | 8 days (varies by department) | None (lapses each year) | Full pay (but not “leave” technically) |
| Restricted Holiday | 2 days from notified list | None (lapses) | Full pay |
| Maternity Leave | 180 days per child (max 2 children) | — | Full pay |
| Paternity Leave | 15 days per child (max 2 children) | — | Full pay |
| Child Care Leave (CCL) | 730 days in entire service | Lifetime | Full pay first 365, 80% thereafter |
| Child Adoption Leave | 180 days | — | Full pay |
| Study Leave | Up to 24 months in entire service | — | Full pay (with bond) |
| Special Disability Leave | Up to 24 months for injury in line of duty | — | Full pay first 4 months, half pay thereafter |
| Hospital Leave | For Group C employees handling hazardous work | Within 28 months | Full pay first 120 days, half pay thereafter |
| Extraordinary Leave (EOL) | Up to 5 years in entire service | — | No pay |
Earned Leave (EL)
Earned leave is the workhorse category. A non-vacation department employee earns EL at the rate of 2.5 days per month, credited in advance on 1 January (15 days) and 1 July (15 days). The maximum that can be accumulated is 300 days. Beyond 300 days, additional EL earned in a half-year cannot be added to the leave account. EL not exhausted at retirement is encashable up to the 300-day ceiling along with full DA.
EL during the year of joining and retiring
For incomplete half-years (joining mid-year or retiring mid-year), EL is credited at 2.5 days per completed calendar month. Fractions of half a day or more are rounded up; less than half a day is ignored.
Leave encashment with LTC
An employee can encash up to 10 days of EL at the time of availing LTC, subject to a lifetime ceiling of 60 days during entire service. The encashed days continue to count toward the 300-day retirement encashment ceiling, with corresponding adjustment.
Half Pay Leave (HPL) and Commuted Leave
HPL is credited at 20 days a year, in two instalments of 10 days on 1 January and 1 July. Unlike EL, HPL has no upper accumulation limit. HPL can be availed for any reason and is paid at half the leave salary (half basic pay + DA on the half basic).
Commuted leave is HPL converted to full-pay leave on medical grounds. One day of commuted leave debits two days of HPL from the balance. The maximum commuted leave that can be granted in entire service is 240 days. A medical certificate from the authorised medical attendant is mandatory.
Casual Leave (CL) and Restricted Holiday (RH)
Casual Leave is technically not “leave” under the CCS (Leave) Rules; it is sanctioned under separate executive instructions. The standard entitlement is 8 days per calendar year. CL cannot be combined with regular leave (EL or HPL). It cannot be carried forward to the next year and lapses on 31 December. Department-specific variations exist (e.g. some departments allow 12 days CL).
Restricted Holiday is a holiday from a notified list (typically 12 to 14 holidays nationally) of which an employee can avail any 2 in a calendar year. RH cannot be combined or accumulated.
Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, and Child Care Leave
Maternity Leave
180 days at the time of confinement, available to a female Government employee with fewer than two surviving children at the time of leave. Can be combined with leave of any other kind for up to 60 days additionally without medical certificate. Medical termination of pregnancy or miscarriage attracts 45 days of maternity leave (on production of medical certificate), regardless of the number of surviving children.
Paternity Leave
15 days for the birth of a child, available to a male Government employee with fewer than two surviving children. Must be availed within six months from the date of delivery; lapses thereafter.
Child Care Leave
CCL was introduced in 2008 and progressively liberalised. The current entitlement is 730 days in entire service for a female Government employee (and now also single male Government employees as defined in the Rules) for the care of two eldest surviving children below 18 years (no age limit if the child is a person with disability of 40% or more, or a child with a specified medical condition).
- First 365 days: full leave salary.
- Days 366 to 730: 80% of leave salary (per OM dated 11 December 2018).
- Minimum spell: 5 days; maximum continuous spell: 120 days.
- Cannot be granted in more than 3 spells in a calendar year.
- CCL can be combined with other types of leave; sanction is at the discretion of the leave-sanctioning authority.
Study Leave
Up to 24 months of study leave can be granted in entire service for a course of study certified to be of definite advantage to the Government. The employee must have completed at least 5 years of service. A bond is executed: the employee must serve the Government for a minimum period (usually thrice the period of study leave) after rejoining, failing which the leave salary plus other costs become recoverable.
Extraordinary Leave (EOL)
EOL is leave without pay, granted in special circumstances when no other leave is admissible or where the employee specifically requests EOL. Maximum EOL in entire service: 5 years. Counts toward qualifying service only if specifically permitted (medical reasons, study leave converted, etc.).
Combination of leaves
Different categories of leave can be combined. EL + HPL, HPL + Commuted, CCL + EL, Maternity + Commuted, etc. The combined absence cannot exceed five years (excluding study leave taken under bond). Casual Leave cannot be combined with any regular leave.
Frequently asked questions
Will the EL accumulation ceiling change to 400 under the 8th CPC?
NC-JCM and several unions have asked for the ceiling to be raised from 300 to 400 days. Until the 8th CPC recommends and the Cabinet accepts, the ceiling remains 300 days.
Can CCL be granted before the child is born?
No. CCL is for the care of an existing child. For pre-natal and confinement-related absence, maternity leave is the applicable category.
Does leave count for increment?
EL, HPL (limited), maternity, paternity, CCL, and special disability leave count for increment. EOL ordinarily does not count for increment unless specifically directed in the sanction.
Sources
- CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972, with amendments to date: https://dopt.gov.in.
- DoPT OM No. 13018/1/2018-Estt(L), dated 11 December 2018 (CCL liberalisation, 80% pay for second 365 days).
- DoPT OM No. 28016/02/2017-Estt(A-IV), dated 13 March 2018 (Paternity leave clarifications).
- FR and SR provisions on leave salary calculation.