Table of Contents
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972
Chapter I
Preliminary
RULE 1
Short title and commencement
(1)
These rules may be called the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972.
(2)
They shall come into force on the 1st day of June, 1972.
RULE 2
Extent of Application
Save as otherwise provided in these rules, these rules shall apply to Government servants appointed to the civil services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union, but shall not apply to-
These Rules SHALL NOT Apply To
- Railway servants - Have separate Railway Service Leave Rules
- Persons in casual or daily-rated or part-time employment - Different employment terms with no regular establishment
- Persons paid from contingencies - Salaries drawn from contingency funds, not regular budget
- Workmen employed in industrial establishments - Governed by Industrial Disputes Act and Factories Act
- Persons employed in work-charged establishments - Salaries charged to specific works/projects
- Members of the All India Services - IAS, IPS, IFoS have separate AIS Leave Rules
- Persons locally recruited for service in Diplomatic, Consular or other Indian establishments in foreign countries - Local hires at missions abroad
- Persons employed on contract except when the contract provides otherwise - Contractual employees unless contract specifies applicability
- Persons in respect of whom special provisions have been made by or under the provisions of the Constitution or any other law for the time being in force - Those under special constitutional/statutory provisions
- Persons governed, for purposes of leave, by the Fundamental Rules or the Civil Service Regulations - Pre-existing leave frameworks continue
- Persons serving under a Central Government Department, on deputation from a State Government or any other source, for a limited duration - Deputationists retain parent cadre rules
Scope: Applies to all Central Government civil servants in Union affairs except the 11 excluded categories above.
RULE 3
Definitions
(1)
In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires-
a
"Administrator" — means an Administrator of a Union Territory.
Includes: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Chandigarh, Ladakh.
▸ Exercises executive powers for UTs without elected legislatures.
Includes: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Chandigarh, Ladakh.
▸ Exercises executive powers for UTs without elected legislatures.
b
"Audit Officer" — means the Accounts and Audit Officer, whatever his official designation, in whose circle the office of the Government servant is situated.
▸ Designation may vary but refers to audit authority having jurisdictional control over the geographical area.
▸ Designation may vary but refers to audit authority having jurisdictional control over the geographical area.
c
"Authority competent to grant leave" — means the authority specified in Column (3) of the First Schedule to these rules, competent to grant the kind of leave specified in Column (2).
▸ Sanctioning powers are delegated hierarchically based on leave type.
▸ Sanctioning powers are delegated hierarchically based on leave type.
d
"Completed years of service" or "one year's continuous service" — means continuous service of specified duration under the Central Government and includes:
✓ Periods on Duty ✓ Periods on Leave ✓ Extraordinary Leave
⚠ Break in service resets the count.
▸ Critical for LTC, study leave, and leave encashment eligibility.
✓ Periods on Duty ✓ Periods on Leave ✓ Extraordinary Leave
⚠ Break in service resets the count.
▸ Critical for LTC, study leave, and leave encashment eligibility.
e
"Date of retirement" — means the afternoon of the last day of the month in which the Government servant attains the age prescribed for retirement.
Example: Employee born 15th January attaining 60 years → retires on afternoon of 31st January.
▸ Enables full month's leave and salary.
Example: Employee born 15th January attaining 60 years → retires on afternoon of 31st January.
▸ Enables full month's leave and salary.
f
"Department of the Central Government" — means a Ministry or a Department as notified.
Also Includes:
• Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog)
• Department of Parliamentary Affairs
• President's Secretariat
• Vice-President's Secretariat
• Cabinet Secretariat
• Prime Minister's Secretariat
Also Includes:
• Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog)
• Department of Parliamentary Affairs
• President's Secretariat
• Vice-President's Secretariat
• Cabinet Secretariat
• Prime Minister's Secretariat
fa
"Disability" ← 2018 Amendment — means:
"Specified disability" "Benchmark disability" "Disability having high support needs"
as per Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
▸ Inserted in 2018 to provide legal basis for disability-related leave provisions.
"Specified disability" "Benchmark disability" "Disability having high support needs"
as per Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
▸ Inserted in 2018 to provide legal basis for disability-related leave provisions.
g
"Foreign service" — means service where pay is received with sanction of Government from any source OTHER than:
✗ Consolidated Fund of India ✗ Consolidated Fund of a State ✗ Consolidated Fund of a UT
⚠ NOT about foreign country posting! — It refers to salary payment source (PSUs, autonomous bodies, international organizations, etc.)
✗ Consolidated Fund of India ✗ Consolidated Fund of a State ✗ Consolidated Fund of a UT
⚠ NOT about foreign country posting! — It refers to salary payment source (PSUs, autonomous bodies, international organizations, etc.)
h
"Form" — means a Form appended to the Second Schedule to these rules.
▸ Contains standardized proformas for leave applications and certificates.
▸ Contains standardized proformas for leave applications and certificates.
i
"Government servant in quasi-permanent employ" — means:
(A) Officer declared eligible by UPSC for ministerial services, appointed to temporary/officiating vacancy with written assurance of permanency, but not confirmed after 3 years continuous service.
(B) Officer declared quasi-permanent under CCS (Temporary Services) Rules, 1965.
▸ Transitional status preventing indefinite exploitation of temporary status.
(A) Officer declared eligible by UPSC for ministerial services, appointed to temporary/officiating vacancy with written assurance of permanency, but not confirmed after 3 years continuous service.
(B) Officer declared quasi-permanent under CCS (Temporary Services) Rules, 1965.
▸ Transitional status preventing indefinite exploitation of temporary status.
j
"Government servant in permanent employ" — means officer who:
✓ Holds substantively a permanent post, OR
✓ Holds provisionally substantively a permanent post, OR
✓ Holds a lien on a permanent post, OR
✓ Would have held a lien if not suspended.
▸ Lien ensures return to substantive post after temporary assignments/deputation.
✓ Holds substantively a permanent post, OR
✓ Holds provisionally substantively a permanent post, OR
✓ Holds a lien on a permanent post, OR
✓ Would have held a lien if not suspended.
▸ Lien ensures return to substantive post after temporary assignments/deputation.
k
"Head of Mission" — means:
Ambassador Charge d'Affaires Minister Consul-General High Commissioner
or declared authority in country where government servant undergoes study/training.
▸ Acts as administrative authority for monitoring attendance and certifying study completion abroad.
Ambassador Charge d'Affaires Minister Consul-General High Commissioner
or declared authority in country where government servant undergoes study/training.
▸ Acts as administrative authority for monitoring attendance and certifying study completion abroad.
l
"Military Officer" — means Armed Forces officer including:
(i) Commissioned Officers of Army / Navy / Air Force
(ii) ARMY: Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs including Subedar, Naib Subedar), Honorary Commissioned Officers, Other Ranks
(iii) NAVY: Branch List Officers and Ratings
(iv) AIR FORCE: Airmen including Master Warrant Officers
▸ Relevant for inter-departmental coordination and deputation matters.
(i) Commissioned Officers of Army / Navy / Air Force
(ii) ARMY: Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs including Subedar, Naib Subedar), Honorary Commissioned Officers, Other Ranks
(iii) NAVY: Branch List Officers and Ratings
(iv) AIR FORCE: Airmen including Master Warrant Officers
▸ Relevant for inter-departmental coordination and deputation matters.
m
"Vacation Department" — means department with regular sanctioned vacations where employees are permitted to be absent from duty.
Examples:
• Educational Institutions
• Courts
• Legislative Departments
• Research Institutions
▸ Vacation periods don't reduce leave balance — making effective entitlement higher than non-vacation departments per FR 83.
⚠ Impacts EL calculation under Rule 26 vs Rule 28.
Examples:
• Educational Institutions
• Courts
• Legislative Departments
• Research Institutions
▸ Vacation periods don't reduce leave balance — making effective entitlement higher than non-vacation departments per FR 83.
⚠ Impacts EL calculation under Rule 26 vs Rule 28.
MOF NOTIFICATION
Date of Retirement Clarification
Notification No. 5(7)-E.IV(A)/75 dated 02.12.1975
Clarifies Definition (e): Retirement occurs on afternoon of the last day of the month (not on birthday), enabling full month's leave, salary, and proper retirement formalities.
DOPT NOTIFICATION
Disability Categories Insertion
Notification No. 18017/l/2014-Estt. (L), dated 03.04.2018
Definition (fa) inserted in 2018 to align with RPwD Act 2016. Recognizes three categories: Specified Disability (21 conditions), Benchmark Disability (≥40%), High Support Needs (≥80% with multiple conditions).
(2)
Words and expressions used herein and not defined but defined in the Fundamental Rules and Supplementary Rules shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Fundamental Rules and Supplementary Rules.
Residuary Interpretative Provision
Ensures interpretative consistency across all service rules. If a term is undefined in CCS Leave Rules but defined in FR/SR, the FR/SR definition applies. Examples: "competent authority," "pay," "emoluments," "joining time," etc.
RULE 4
Government Servants on Temporary Transfer or Foreign Service
(1)
Sub-rule (1) – Continuity of CCS Leave Rules
CCS Leave Rules continue to apply when Government servant is on:
1
Temporary transfer to Indian Railways
2
Temporary transfer to State Government
3
Foreign service within India
(2)
Sub-rule (2) – Limited Applicability
CCS Leave Rules apply only to the extent provided in terms and conditions when on:
1
Foreign service outside India
2
Service with UN agencies (whether within or outside India)
3
Temporary transfer to Armed Forces of the Union
RULE 5
Transfer from Services/Posts Governed by Other Leave Rules
Applicability: Applies to permanent Government servants to whom CCS Leave Rules do not originally apply.
(a)
Clause (a) – Temporary Transfer
When temporarily transferred to a post where CCS Leave Rules apply, the Government servant remains subject to the leave rules which were applicable to him before such transfer.
Provisos for Clause (a)
- First Proviso – Military Officers not in permanent civil employ: If elected to draw civil rates of pay, leave shall be regulated as per CCS Leave Rules.
- Second Proviso – On Release/Discharge from Armed Forces: Annual leave due shall be carried forward with effect from the date of such release/discharge.
(b)
Clause (b) – Substantive Appointment to Permanent Post
When substantively appointed to a permanent post where CCS Leave Rules apply:
1
CCS Leave Rules become applicable from the date of such appointment
2
Leave at credit under previously applicable rules shall be carried forward subject to maximum limits of accumulation as laid down in Rule 26
3
The leave so carried forward shall first be exhausted before the leave earned under CCS Rules is availed of
4
Leave salary in respect of carried forward leave shall be borne by the Department or Government from which the Government servant proceeds on leave
Proviso for Military Officers
In addition to earned leave equal to annual leave on the date of appointment (as permissible under Armed Forces leave rules), half pay leave equal to the number of days of furlough shall also be carried forward.
RULE 6
Transfer to Industrial Establishment
When Does This Apply?
When a Government servant governed by CCS Leave Rules is appointed in an industrial establishment wherein leave terms are governed by Factories Act, 1948.
Suo Motu Order by Competent Authority:
1
Cash equivalent of leave salary granted for earned leave and half pay leave at credit
2
Maximum limit: 300 days
3
Cash amount equals: Leave salary for EL + Leave salary for HPL + Dearness Allowance at rates in force on the date the Government servant ceases to be governed by CCS Leave Rules
Proviso – On Return to CCS Leave Rules Governed Post
Benefits under Rule 39 modified as follows:
| Scenario | Condition |
|---|---|
| On Superannuation | Encashment of leave subject to condition that total of: • Days of EL and HPL already encashed under Rule 6, and • Days of EL and HPL to be encashed on superannuation shall not exceed 300 days |
| On Premature Retirement | Cash equivalent of unutilized EL and HPL subject to condition that total of: • Days of EL and HPL already encashed under Rule 6, and • Days of EL and HPL to be encashed on premature retirement shall not exceed 300 days |
Key Point: The 300-day cap is a cumulative limit – it includes both the encashment done at the time of transfer to industrial establishment AND the encashment at the time of superannuation/premature retirement.