CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 Complete Notes & Limits Table

UPSC DRDO SAO • UPSC Admin Officer • SO/SSA LDCE • CSIR SO/ASO

⚡ Quick Answer & AI Exam Snapshot (TL;DR)

The Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972 came into force on 1st June 1972 and govern leave entitlements for Central Government employees. Under Rule 7, leave cannot be claimed as a matter of right and may be refused or revoked in public exigencies (though the leave sanctioning authority cannot alter the kind of leave applied for!). Memorizing the exact credit rates, accumulation ceilings (300 days + 15 days for EL), and special leave durations (Maternity: 180 days, Paternity: 15 days, Child Care Leave: 730 days, Study Leave: 24/36 months) guarantees 3 to 5 marks in UPSC Admin Officer and LDCE papers.

1. General Principles of CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 (Rules 7 to 25)

Rule 7(1) — Leave is NOT a Matter of Right: Leave cannot be claimed as of right. When the exigencies of public service so require, leave of any kind may be refused or revoked by the authority empowered to grant it.
Rule 7(2) — Cannot Alter Kind of Leave Applied For: It is NOT open to the leave sanctioning authority to alter the kind of leave due and applied for (except at the written request of the Government servant under Rule 10 within 30 days of rejoining duty!).
Rule 11 — Maximum Continuous Absence on Leave (5-Year Limit): No Government servant shall be granted leave of any kind for a continuous period exceeding FIVE YEARS (unless the President, in view of exceptional circumstances, otherwise determines).
Rule 25 — Wilful Absence After Expiry of Leave (Dies Non): Wilful absence from duty after expiry of leave renders a Government servant liable to disciplinary action, and unauthorized absence is debited against HPL as leave without pay or treated as ‘Dies Non’ (does not count for increment, leave, or pension).

2. Master Entitlement Table: All Types of Leave Under CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972

Type of Leave & Rule No.	Advance Credit Rate & Maximum Accumulation	Maximum Spell at One Time & Key Exam Conditions
1. Earned Leave (EL) (Rules 26–27)	15 days credited in advance on 1st January and 1st July every year (`2.5 days/month`). Max Accumulation: 300 Days (plus up to `+15 days` shown separately for the half-year).	Max granted at a time: 180 days (up to 300 days as Leave Preparatory to Retirement [LPR] or for Group A/B officers spending leave outside India/Nepal/Bhutan/Sri Lanka). Deduction for Dies Non/EOL: 1/10th of EOL/Dies-Non period during previous half-year (max 15 days) is deducted from next half-year’s EL credit.
2. Half Pay Leave (HPL) (Rule 29)	10 days credited in advance on 1st January and 1st July every year (`5/3 days/month = 20 days/year`). Max Accumulation: UNLIMITED!	Granted on medical certificate or private affairs. Deduction for Dies Non: 1/18th of Dies-Non period (max 10 days) deducted from next HPL credit. Leave Salary: 50% of last pay drawn + DA thereon.
3. Commuted Leave (Rule 30)	Converted from HPL: TWICE the amount of Commuted Leave is debited to the HPL account (1 day Commuted Leave = 2 days HPL).	Granted on Medical Certificate (full 100% pay). Exceptions WITHOUT Medical Certificate: (i) Up to 90 days (180 HPL) for approved course of study in public interest; (ii) Up to 60 days (120 HPL) in continuation of Maternity Leave or Adoptive Mother’s Leave!
4. Leave Not Due (LND) (Rule 31)	Advance HPL granted when ZERO HPL is at credit (debited against future HPL to be earned).	Max during entire service: 360 DAYS in total. Granted on Medical Certificate (Exception: up to 180 days without MC in continuation of Maternity/Child Adoption Leave).
5. Extraordinary Leave (EOL) (Rule 32)	Leave Without Pay and Allowances (granted when no other leave is admissible or when employee specifically applies for EOL in writing).	For temporary employees (≥1 yr service): 3 months without MC, 6 months with MC (18 months for TB/Cancer/Leprosy/Mental illness, 24 months for study).
6. Maternity Leave (Rule 43)	180 Days on full pay (not debited to any leave account).	Admissible to a female Govt servant with LESS THAN TWO SURVIVING CHILDREN. • Miscarriage / Abortion: Up to 45 days in the ENTIRE service career (irrespective of surviving children!). • Stillbirth / Neonatal Death (within 28 days of birth): 60 days Special Maternity Leave.
7. Paternity Leave (Rule 43-A & 43-AA)	15 Days on full pay.	Admissible to a male Govt servant with LESS THAN TWO SURVIVING CHILDREN during wife’s confinement (up to 6 months from date of delivery or child adoption below 1 year).
8. Child Adoption Leave (Rule 43-B)	180 Days on full pay to female employee adopting a child below the age of 1 year.	Admissible only if she has less than two surviving children.
9. Child Care Leave (CCL) (Rule 43-C)	Maximum 730 Days (2 Years) during entire service for taking care of up to TWO ELDEST SURVIVING CHILDREN below 18 years of age (no age limit for disabled child with ≥40% disability!).	• Granted to female employees AND Single Male Parents (unmarried, widower, or divorcee). • Maximum 3 spells in a calendar year (up to 6 spells per year for a Single Female Govt Servant!). Minimum spell: 5 days. • Leave Salary: 100% of pay for the first 365 days and 80% of pay for the next 365 days!
10. Study Leave (Rules 50–63)	Max 24 Months in entire service (36 Months for Central Health Service / Medical Officers doing PG).	Requires minimum 5 years’ regular service and must NOT be due to retire within 3 years (5 years for 36-month medical study leave) of returning from study leave.

3. Leave Encashment Rules (LTC vs Retirement/Death — Rules 38-A & 39)

1. Leave Encashment While in Service (With LTC — Rule 38-A): Up to 10 days of Earned Leave can be encashed on each occasion of availing LTC, subject to a maximum of 60 days during the entire career, provided at least 30 days of Earned Leave remains at credit after encashment.
2. Leave Encashment on Retirement / Superannuation / Death (Rule 39): Maximum 300 Days of combined Earned Leave (EL) + Half Pay Leave (HPL) can be encashed:
Cash Equivalent = [ (Basic Pay + Dearness Allowance) / 30 ] × Number of Days of Unutilized EL (max 300).

🎯 High-Yield Exam One-Liners (Last-Minute Revision Box)

CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 came into force on 1st June 1972; under Rule 7, leave cannot be claimed as a matter of right.
The leave sanctioning authority can refuse or revoke leave in public interest, but CANNOT alter the kind of leave due and applied for (Rule 7(2)).
An employee may apply for commutation of one kind of leave into another within 30 DAYS of returning to duty (Rule 10).
Under Rule 11, no Government servant can be granted continuous leave of any kind exceeding 5 YEARS without the sanction of the President.
Earned Leave (EL) is credited in advance at 15 days on 1st January and 15 days on 1st July (2.5 days per completed calendar month).
Maximum accumulation of Earned Leave is 300 days (+15 days current half-year credit kept separately); maximum EL granted at one time in India is 180 days.
If an employee avails EOL or has Dies-Non in a half-year, 1/10th of that period (up to 15 days) is deducted from the next half-year’s EL credit.
Half Pay Leave (HPL) is credited in advance at 10 days on 1st January and 10 days on 1st July (5/3 days per month); there is NO ceiling on HPL accumulation.
For every 1 day of Commuted Leave availed (on full pay), 2 days of Half Pay Leave (HPL) are debited from the HPL account.
Up to 60 days of Commuted Leave (120 days HPL) can be granted WITHOUT a medical certificate in continuation of Maternity Leave.
Leave Not Due (LND) is granted when zero HPL is in balance, up to a maximum of 360 DAYS during the entire service career.
Maternity Leave of 180 days is admissible to a female employee with LESS THAN TWO surviving children.
Maternity Leave for Miscarriage or Abortion is limited to 45 DAYS in the entire service career (regardless of the number of surviving children).
Special Maternity Leave of 60 DAYS is granted in case of Stillbirth or death of an infant within 28 days of birth.
Paternity Leave of 15 DAYS must be availed within 6 MONTHS from the date of delivery of the child, otherwise it lapses.
Child Care Leave (CCL) under Rule 43-C is granted for a maximum of 730 DAYS (2 years) for the two eldest surviving children below 18 years (no age limit if child has >=40% disability).
Child Care Leave is admissible to female Government servants AND Single Male Parents (unmarried, widower, or divorcee).
Leave salary during Child Care Leave is 100% of salary for the first 365 days and 80% of salary for the next 365 days.
Child Care Leave cannot be granted in more than 3 spells in a calendar year (relaxable up to 6 spells in a calendar year for a Single Female Government Servant).
While availing LTC, an employee can encash up to 10 days of EL per occasion (max 60 days in entire career), provided at least 30 days EL remains in balance.

📝 UPSC & Regulatory Level Practice MCQs (With Detailed Solutions)

Q1. Under Rule 43-C of the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 regarding ‘Child Care Leave’ (CCL), consider the following statements:
1. It is admissible for a maximum period of 730 days during the entire service for taking care of up to two eldest surviving children below 18 years of age (no age limit for a child with >=40% benchmark disability).
2. It is admissible to female Government servants as well as ‘Single Male Parents’ (unmarried, widower, or divorcee).
3. During the entire 730 days of Child Care Leave, the employee is paid 100% of the salary drawn immediately before proceeding on leave.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (A) — Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because following the 7th CPC amendment to Rule 43-C, leave salary during CCL is 100% of pay for the first 365 days and 80% of pay for the next 365 days.

Q2. Under Rule 43 of the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972, what is the maximum total period of Maternity Leave admissible for ‘Miscarriage or Abortion’ during a female Government servant’s entire service career?

A. 30 days on each occasion
B. 45 days during the entire service career
C. 60 days during the entire service career
D. 90 days during the entire service career

Correct Answer: (B) — Under Rule 43(3), Maternity Leave for miscarriage or abortion (supported by a medical certificate) shall not exceed 45 days in the entire service career, irrespective of the number of surviving children.

Q3. What is the maximum number of days of ‘Leave Not Due’ (LND) that may be granted to a permanent Government servant (on medical certificate) during his entire service career under Rule 31 of the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972?

A. 180 days
B. 240 days
C. 300 days
D. 360 days

Correct Answer: (D) — Under Rule 31(1), the amount of Leave Not Due (LND) granted to a Government servant is limited to a maximum of 360 days during the entire service.

Q4. During a previous half-year (January to June), a Central Government employee remained on Extraordinary Leave (EOL) without pay for 80 days. By how many days will his advance credit of Earned Leave (EL) on 1st July be reduced under Rule 27(3) of the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972?

A. 4 days
B. 8 days
C. 10 days
D. 15 days

Correct Answer: (B) — Under Rule 27(3), when an employee avails EOL and/or has a period of Dies-Non during a previous half-year, the advance credit of EL for the next half-year is reduced by 1/10th of such period (subject to a maximum deduction of 15 days). Here, 1/10th of 80 days = 8 days.

Q5. Under Rule 38-A of the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972, what is the maximum number of days of Earned Leave an employee can encash on a single occasion of availing LTC, the lifetime career ceiling, and the minimum EL balance that must remain at credit after encashment?

A. 10 days per occasion; 60 days in career; minimum 30 days EL balance must remain
B. 15 days per occasion; 90 days in career; minimum 60 days EL balance must remain
C. 10 days per occasion; 50 days in career; minimum 15 days EL balance must remain
D. 20 days per occasion; 60 days in career; minimum 30 days EL balance must remain

Correct Answer: (A) — Under Rule 38-A, an employee may encash up to 10 days of EL at the time of availing LTC (up to 60 days in the entire career), provided a balance of at least 30 days of EL remains at his credit after deducting the EL availed and encashed.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (Exam FAQs)

Q: Are Casual Leave (CL) and Restricted Holidays (RH) governed by the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972?

Strict exam trap: No! Under Rule 11, Casual Leave (ordinarily 8 days per calendar year, or 12 days for PwBD employees) and Restricted Holidays (2 days per year) are NOT recognized forms of leave under the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972. An employee on Casual Leave is NOT treated as absent from duty.

Q: What is the minimum service required to be eligible for Study Leave under Rule 50?

A Government servant must have satisfactorily completed the period of probation and rendered not less than 5 years’ regular continuous service (including probation), and must not be due to reach superannuation within 3 years from the date of expected return from study leave.

Q: Can Child Care Leave (CCL) be combined with other regular leave?

Yes. Child Care Leave can be combined with any other regular leave of the kind due and admissible (like EL, HPL, or Maternity Leave), though it cannot be combined with Casual Leave.

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