Can I Take Earned Leave During Probation?

What the Rules Say About Probation

• If you are appointed to a post on probation, you are entitled to leave as a temporary or a permanent government servant, depending on whether your appointment is against a temporary or a permanent post (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 33(2), p. 27).
• If you already hold a lien on a permanent post before this appointment, you get leave as a permanent government servant (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 33(2), proviso, p. 27).
• A probationer is entitled to leave under the rules if he had held his post substantively otherwise than on probation (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 33(1)(a), p. 26).

So probation does not take away your earned leave. You earn it and can apply for it like any other employee.

How Much Earned Leave You Get in Your First Year

• Your leave account is credited with earned leave in advance, 15 days on 1 January and 15 days on 1 July each year (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 26(1)(a)(i), p. 18).
• In the half-year in which you are appointed, the credit is 2.5 days for each completed calendar month of service you are likely to render in that half-year (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 27(1), p. 20). Fractions are rounded to the nearest day (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 27(4), p. 20).
• Example: if you join on 1 March, you will complete 4 months by 30 June, so your first credit is 10 days.
• If you take extraordinary leave, or some absence is treated as dies non, your next half-yearly credit is cut by one-tenth of that period, up to 15 days (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 27(3), p. 20).
• You can take up to 180 days of earned leave at a time (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 26(2), p. 19), and your balance can build up to 300 days (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 26(1)(b), p. 18).

Limits That Apply During Probation

• Leave cannot be claimed as of right. When public service needs require, the competent authority can refuse or revoke leave of any kind (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 7, p. 7).
• If it is proposed to terminate your services, any leave granted to you cannot extend beyond the date your probation (as sanctioned or extended) ends, or any earlier date on which your services are terminated (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 33(1)(b), p. 27).
• Child care leave is not ordinarily granted during probation, except in extreme situations where the sanctioning authority is satisfied about the need, and then only for a minimal period (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 43-C(3)(iii), p. 39).
• If you are not in permanent or quasi-permanent employ, extraordinary leave on any one occasion is limited, for example to three months, or six months if you have one year of continuous service and a medical certificate (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 32(2), p. 25).

If You Work for KVS, Railways or Another Organisation

• The CCS (Leave) Rules do not apply to Railway servants (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 2(a), p. 3). Railway employees should check the Railway leave rules.
• In Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, all employees are on probation for two years, which the appointing authority may extend to three years (KVS Education Code, Article 63, p. 43).
• KVS, NVS, Delhi Police and other organisations may issue their own instructions. Check with your establishment or administration section.

Where to Check

Read Rules 7, 26, 27 and 33 of the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 in the DoPT consolidated copy updated as on 24.09.2024 (CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, Rule 33, p. 26). Your leave account and service book show your actual credit.

Related Questions

Official Sources

• Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972 (updated as on 24.09.2024) · Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India
• Education Code for Kendriya Vidyalayas, 5th Edition, Part 1 · Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan