Delhi High Court Says Private School Women Teachers Entitled to Child Care Leave Like Government Staff
Landmark ruling grants women teachers in recognised private schools equal child care leave benefits, aligning them with government school employees under the principle of equality.
The Delhi High Court has ruled that women teachers employed in recognised private schools are entitled to Child Care Leave (CCL) benefits on par with government school teachers, calling it a matter linked to the fundamental right to equality.
In a significant judgment, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela overturned an earlier ruling by a single-judge bench and held that recognised private schools cannot deny female employees Child Care Leave for matters related to the care, education, and illness of their children.
The court observed that under Rule 111 of the Delhi School Education (DSE) Rules, employees working in recognised private schools are entitled to the same leave benefits as government employees. The bench stated that denying Child Care Leave to women teachers in private institutions would be inconsistent with the principle of equality.
As per the Central Civil Services (CCS) Leave Rules, women employees are entitled to a maximum of 730 days, or two years, of Child Care Leave during their entire service period. The leave can be availed for the care of up to two surviving children and may be used for purposes such as upbringing, examinations, illness, and other child-related needs. The rules further specify that Child Care Leave must be taken for a minimum duration of 15 days and cannot be availed more than three times in a calendar year.
With this ruling, women teachers employed in recognised private schools across Delhi will now receive Child Care Leave benefits similar to those available to their counterparts in government schools, marking a major step toward workplace equality in the education sector.
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