IREC Rule No.551(D): Paternity Leave On Child Adoption

551(D). Paternity Leave On Child Adoption:-

(1)   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 granted Paternity Leave by an authority competent to grant leave for a period of 15 days within a period of six months from the date of valid adoption.

(2)   During such period of 15 days, he shall be paid leave salary equal to the pay drawn immediately before proceeding on leave.

(3)   The Paternity Leave may be combined with leave of any other kind.

(4)   The Paternity Leave shall not be debited against the leave account.

(5)   If Paternity leave is not availed of within the period specified in sub-rule(1), such leave shall be treated as lapsed.

Note: The Paternity Leave shall not normally be refused under any circumstances.

[Authority: RBE No.57/2011, No.E(P&A)I-2008/CPC/LE-8, 04.05.2011, ACS No.116]

(1)   A male Railway servant (including an apprentice) with less 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 Paternity Leave for a period of 15 days, within a period of six months, from the date of 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 Paternity Leave already availed shall be debited from any other kind of leave available to the credit of such male Railway Servant.

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

(2)   During such period of 15 days, he shall be paid leave salary equal to the pay drawn immediately before proceeding on leave.

(3)   The Paternity Leave may be combined with leave of any other kind.

(4)   The Paternity Leave shall not be debited against the leave account.

(5)   If Paternity leave is not availed of within the period specified in sub-rule (1), such leave shall be treated as lapsed.

NOTE 1:- The Paternity Leave shall not normally be refused under any circumstances.

NOTE 2:- “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]