Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: The Defence Minister has approved a proposal to provide maternity, childcare, and child adoption leave to women soldiers, sailors, and air warriors, bringing their leave benefits in line with officers in the armed forces.
- This decision aims to promote the “inclusive participation” of women in the military, regardless of their ranks and is intended to improve the work-life balance for women in the armed forces.
- Maternity leave is governed by the Maternity Benefit Act of 1961, amended in 2017. It allows working women to take paid maternity leave for twenty-six weeks for the first two children.
Currently, women officers receive 180 days of maternity leave with full pay for each child (up to a maximum of two children), 360 days of childcare leave in their total service career (for children under 18), and 180 days of child adoption leave for children under one year.
