IREC Rule No.551(C): Child Adoption Leave

551(C). Child adoption leave:-

1.    An adoptive mother on the railways with less than two surviving children may be granted leave of 135 days as ‘Child Adoption Leave’ on adoption of a child upto one year of age, on the lines of maternity leave admissible to natural mothers.

2.   During the period of Child Adoption leave, she shall be paid leave salary equal to the pay drawn immediately before proceeding on leave.

3.   Child Adoption leave may be combined with leave of any other kind.

4.   In continuation of ‘Child Adoption leave’, the adoptive mothers may also be granted, if applied for, leave of the kind due and admissible (including Leave not due and Commuted leave not exceeding 60 days without production of Medical certificate) for a period upto one year reduced by the age of the adopted child on the date of legal adoption without taking into account the period of child Adoption leave, subject to the following conditions:

(i)      This facility will not be available to an adoptive mother already having two surviving children at the time of adoption.

(ii)    The maximum admissible period of one year  leave of the kind due and admissible (including Leave not due and Commuted leave upto 60 days without production of medical certificate) will be reduced by the age of the child on the date of adoption without taking into account Child Adoption leave as in the following illustrations;

(a)   If the age of the adopted child is less than one month on the date of adoption leave upto one year may be allowed,

(b)   If the age of child is six months and above but less than seven months, leave upto 6 months may be allowed.

(c)     If the age of the child is 9 months and above but less than ten months, leave upto 3 months may be allowed.

5.    Child Adoption leave shall not be debited against the leave account.

[Authority:  RBE No.62/2006, No.E (P&A)I-2006/CPC/LE-l, 18.05.2006, ACS No.99]

(1)   A female Railway servant, with fewer than two surviving children, on accepting a child in pre-adoption foster care or on valid adoption of a child below the age of one year, may be granted child adoption leave, by an authority competent to grant leave, for a period of 180 days, immediately after accepting the child in pre-adoption foster care or on valid adoption, as the case may be:

Provided that in a case where the pre-adoption foster care is not followed by valid adoption of the child, the leave already availed shall be debited from any other kind of leave available to the credit of such female Railway Servant.

(Authority: DoP&T’s notification No.GSR. 374(E), dt 18.05.2023. It is effective from 18.05.2023.)

(2)   During the period of child adoption leave, she shall be paid leave salary equal to the pay drawn immediately before proceeding on leave.

(3)        (a) Child adoption leave may be combined with leave of any other kind.

(b) In continuation of the child adoption leave granted under sub rule (1), a female Railway servant on valid adoption of a child may also be granted, if applied for, leave of the kind due and admissible (including leave not due and commuted leave not exceeding 60 days without production of medical certificate) for a period up to one year reduced by the age of the adopted child on the date of valid adoption, without taking into account child adoption leave. Provided that this facility shall not be admissible in case she is already having two surviving children at the time of adoption.

(4) Child adoption leave shall not be debited against the leave account.

NOTE:- “Child” for the purpose of this rule will include a child taken as ward by the Railway servant, under the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 or the personal law applicable to that Railway servant, provided such a ward lives with the Railway servant and is treated as a member of the family and provided such Railway servant has, through a special will, conferred upon that ward the same status as that of a natural born child.

(Authority: DoP&T’s notification No. G.S.R. 283(E) dt 04.04.2012. It is effective from 04.04.2012.)

[Authority: Railway Board No.E(P&A)I-2024/CPC/LE-2, date 09.06.2025, (RBE No.52/2025), ACS No.149]