Recently, the Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, announced that women soldiers in the tri-services– soldiers, sailors and air warriors will also be covered under the maternity benefits scheme.
He said that under the new rules for maternity, child care and child adoption leaves, the grant of leaves for all women in the military will be equal regardless of their rank.
What is Maternity Benefit in India for armed forces women?
Maternity Benefit in India is a provision under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, offering paid leave to working women for childbirth and post-delivery care, ensuring job security and financial stability.
Women soldiers, sailors, and air warriors in the Indian Armed Forces are now entitled to the same maternity benefits as female officers, including 180 days of maternity leave, 360 days of childcare leave, and 180 days of child adoption leave, ensuring equal benefits regardless of rank.
Who is eligible for Maternity Benefits?
You can seek maternity benefits if you are a woman and if you are:
- Pregnant for the first time
- Pregnant with one child or 2 children already
- Adopting a child below the age of 3 months
- Having a child through a surrogate
- Recovering from a miscarriage, abortion or tubectomy operation
Maternity Benefits to Women Soldiers
Maternity Leave to married women officers will be granted as under:-
(a) 180 days leave on full pay for each confinement subject to a maximum of two confinements/ two surviving children.
(b) In exceptional cases, a further extension of one month may be granted by Naval Headquarters (Chief of Personnel), without pay in addition to Annual Leave and Furlough entitlements.
(c) 30 days leave on full pay and allowances in case of miscarriage/ abortion (including medical termination of pregnancy under MTP Act), subject to the following restrictions:-
(i) Leave shall not be permissible more than twice in the course of service of an officer.
(ii) An interval of not less than 24 months between two successive spells of maternity leave should exist.
