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LTC Rules: Block Years, Home Town and All-India LTC

Central Government civilian employees covered by the CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988, including KVS staff (KVS circulated the DoPT guidelines). Railway servants and Armed Forces members are outside these rules.Checked against official documents on 4 Oct 2026

Short answerUnder the CCS (LTC) Rules, you can visit your home town once in each block of two calendar years, or use one of those turns to visit any place in India once in the four-year block. You need one year of continuous service. Blocks are fixed: 2022-2025 was followed by 2026-2029.

How Block Years Work

LTC runs in fixed blocks of calendar years. Home town LTC is allowed once in a block of two calendar years, and LTC to any place in India once in a block of four calendar years (Rule 8, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 7).

DoPT's guidelines of 30 April 2024 named 2022-2025 as the four-year block, made up of the two-year blocks 2022-2023 and 2024-2025 (para 1, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 2). Following the same fixed pattern, the block now running is 2026-2029, with two-year blocks 2026-2027 and 2028-2029.

An LTC is counted against the block in which the outward journey starts, even if you return after the block ends (Rule 9, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 8). If you could not use an LTC in a block, you can use it in the first year of the next block (Rule 10, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 8).

Home Town LTC and All-India LTC

You have two choices in each four-year block: home town LTC twice (once in each two-year block), or home town once and any place in India once (para 1, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 2). Any place in India LTC is taken in lieu of, and adjusted against, the home town LTC available when the journey starts (Rule 8 proviso, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 8).

Home town is the place you declare and your controlling officer accepts. The test is whether it is where you would normally live but for your government service (Rule 4(e) and Rule 5, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 5). Once accepted it is final. The Head of Department may allow a change in exceptional cases, but only once in your service (Rule 5, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 5).

For any place in India LTC, you must declare the place of visit to your controlling officer in advance (Rule 6, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 5). Each family member may visit a different place during the block (Rule 11, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 8).

If your family lives at your home town, you may instead take home town LTC for yourself alone every year, in lieu of all other LTC (Rule 8(c), DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 8). Fresh recruits may visit their home town three times and any place in India once in a four-year block, for their first two blocks (para 13, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 7).

Who Is Eligible and Which Family Members

You must have completed one year of continuous service on the date of the journey (Rule 7(1), DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 5). LTC can be taken during any leave, including casual leave and special casual leave (Rule 7(2), DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 5), and also during CCL and study leave (Rule 7, Note 3, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 6). It is not admissible for weekend journeys without any leave (Rule 7, Note 2, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 6).

Family means your spouse and two surviving unmarried children or stepchildren wholly dependent on you (Rule 4(d), DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 3). It also covers wholly dependent parents and stepparents, and some dependent daughters, minor brothers and sisters as defined in the rule (Rule 4(d), DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 4). Dependency is linked to the minimum family pension plus dearness relief, and does not apply to husband and wife (Rule 4, Notes 1 and 2, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 4).

The rules do not apply to Railway servants and members of the Armed Forces, among others (Rule 1(4), DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 2). Railway employees may still take All India LTC once in a four-year block under the CCS (LTC) Rules, subject to conditions (Rule 1(4) note, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 3). If you are suspended you cannot take LTC, but your family can (para 17, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 7).

Travel Class, Advance and Claims

Where to Check

The governing rules are the CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988, consolidated in DoPT's OM No. DOPT-1714455840135 dated 30 April 2024, which KVS circulated to its units (covering letter, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 1). Where that compilation conflicts with an original OM, the original OM prevails (para 2, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 2).

Doubts on interpretation are referred to DoPT (Rule 17, DoPT LTC Guidelines OM dated 30.04.2024, PDF p. 14). Railway staff should follow their own pass and LTC orders, and Delhi Police and NVS staff should check their employer's circulars.

Related Questions

Can I carry forward an unused LTC to the next block?

Yes. Rule 10 lets you use an LTC you could not avail in a block within the first year of the next block.

Can I change my declared home town?

Only in exceptional cases, with the approval of the Head of Department, and only once in your service under Rule 5.

How long do I have to submit my LTC claim?

Within three months of the return journey if you took no advance, and within one month if you drew an advance.

Can I take LTC while on casual leave?

Yes. Rule 7(2) allows LTC during any period of leave, including casual leave and special casual leave.

How many days of leave can I encash with LTC?

Up to 10 days of earned leave each time you avail LTC, subject to a maximum of 60 days in your career.

Official Sources

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