Can IAS Officers Go Abroad for Holiday? UPSC IAS Officer Holiday Rules

Are you preparing for the Civil Services Exam? Have you ever wondered what your life would be like as an IAS officer? What are the perks of being a member of the IAS? Have you thought about the possibility of going abroad for work or for a holiday? How does the government aid the IAS Officers for a holiday? How many leaves do you think are sanctioned to the IAS Officers? Does the government allow the officers to take study leaves? Find about it all and more in the article below.

Can the IAS Go Abroad for a Holiday?

An IAS Officer can go abroad for a holiday, and they have the right to apply for leaves to travel, given they follow the rules of the government. The All India Services (Leave) Rules, 1955 enlists some of the following norms-

• If an officer is absent without authorisation for more than a year from the date of expiry from the sanctioned leave, they will be considered to have resigned from service.
• The maximum number of earned leaves granted to a member is 180 days, that can be exceeded to a maximum of 240 days granted that the entire leaves or a portion of them are spent in  India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan.
• The members are allotted to the highest class of accommodation under travel allowance for travel in India.
• For journeys through air, land, and sea on duty outside India, the members shall be entitled to accommodation in accordance with the rules and regulations according to the governing members of the foreign service.

Also Read : How Many IAS Officers are Selected Every Year? Important Stats Related to UPSC IAS Exam

Number of Leaves Allotted Every Year

The government allotted general leaves for Civil Servants just like other employees. These can be divided into the following:

• Earned Leaves- 30
• Casual Leaves- 08
• Gazetted Holidays- About 20
• Half-pay Leaves- 20
• Weekends

List of Compulsory Holidays for Every Year

The members of the Indian Administrative Services are entitled to the following national holidays every year-

• Republic Day
• Independence Day
• Gandhi Jayanti/ Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
• Muharram
• Buddha Purnima
• Christmas
• Dussehra
• Diwali
• Idu’l Zuha
• Good Friday
• Guru Nanak’s Birthday
• Idul Fitr
• Mahavir Jayanti
• Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday

Also Read: What are the Powers and Duties of an IAS Officer?

Miscellaneous Leaves

1. Study Leaves- Commuted leaves for a period of ninety days may be granted to a member during his entire service if availed of for course of study which is certified to be in the public interest by the Government.
2. Maternity Leave- Women members would be granted for a period of 180 days since the date of commencement of it.
3. Adoption Leaves- A female member can also apply for adoption leaves for 180 days since the date of adoption and a male member can be allotted leaves for a period of 15 days for the same purpose.
4. Paternity Leave- Male members can be allotted 15 days leave during the confinement of their wife at childbirth.
5. Extraordinary Leaves- The members are entities to 5-year extraordinary leaves under permissible circumstances.

Conclusion

Now that it has been established that an IAS Officer can go abroad for a holiday, it is also important to understand if they are paid for the same. For leaves taken for personal reasons, the government doesn’t sponsor the members. If the leaves are taken under extraordinary or half-paid leaves, the rules might be different.

It is thus permissible for the officers to go abroad for a holiday given the fact that the leaves sanctioned are earned leaves, and their duty is not compromised for the same. For more such articles on UPSC, you can subscribe here.