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A: The 2019 GR focuses on "delivery of child." For surrogacy, most departments grant Special Casual Leave or Child Care Leave. A separate GR is awaited.
The most relevant government resolution regarding paternity leave for Maharashtra government employees is:
| Feature | Maharashtra State GR (2019) | Central Govt. (Rule 43-A) | |---------|----------------------------|----------------------------| | Leave duration | 15 calendar days | 15 calendar days | | Which children? | First two live births | First two live births | | Can split? | With HOD’s permission | Yes, max 2 parts | | Official GR link | Provided above. | DoPT O.M. No. 13018/6/2013-Estt.(L) dated 21.11.2014 | | Adoption leave | Not covered (separate adoption rules) | Not covered |
When Aarav's wife, Meera, went into labor on a rainy Thursday morning in Pune, he felt two conflicting currents: an urgent calm that comes with the arrival of a child, and the slow, bureaucratic dread he’d heard from colleagues about taking time off. Aarav worked as a junior clerk in a district government office. He loved his job, but he loved his family more. He wanted to be there for Meera and their newborn son, Arjun — to hold them, to handle late-night feedings, to learn the fragile routines of a family’s first days.
The office had no formal culture of paternity leave. Men took whatever informal time they could arrange, often unpaid or begrudgingly approved. Aarav thought this was unfair but felt powerless to change it. Then, a week before the due date, his colleague Priya shared a short message in their WhatsApp group: “GR for paternity leave in Maharashtra — link.” Attached was a government resolution (a GR) announcing guidelines for paternity leave for state government employees.
At first Aarav skimmed the document. It spelled out paid leave for fathers for a specified number of days after childbirth, instructions for application, and a clear link to the relevant rulebook. It used formal language and administrative codes, but one sentence stood out: “To encourage shared parental responsibilities and promote family welfare.” For Aarav, it mattered less as text and more as permission — official recognition that fathers have a role beyond breadwinning.
He printed the GR, tucked it into his file, and walked to his supervisor's cabin. The supervisor listened, then flipped through the pages. There was a pause — that thin, uncertain gap when new rules meet old habits — and then a small but decisive nod. “Follow the procedure,” he said. “Submit your application. We’ll process it.”
The application was straightforward: a leave form, a copy of the child’s birth certificate, and a reference to the GR number. Within days, Aarav’s leave was sanctioned. He stood in the hospital corridor holding Meera’s hand as newborn noises filled the room, feeling the weight of those words from the GR transform into something immediate and human. gr for paternity leave in maharashtra link
Over the next two weeks, Aarav learned the rhythms of new parenthood: midnight bottle changes, the quiet wonder of a first yawn, Meera's recovery, and the slow stitch of sleepless nights into daytime naps. He found time to bond with Arjun in ways he hadn’t imagined — teaching him to stare at the ceiling fan, humming old songs, practicing diaper changes with a clumsy reverence. He was present for the tiny milestones most parents treasure: the first successful latch, the first smile that seemed to say, “I know you.”
Back at the office, his colleagues noticed the difference. Priya, who had shared the link, began handling more leave queries. A senior officer, impressed by the positive family outcomes in Aarav’s case, started recommending the GR proactively to other staff. Over a few months, the office culture shifted subtly. Men who had once hesitated to ask for time with their newborns now referenced the GR without embarrassment. Supervisors who had feared abuse of the policy devised simple verification checks and a transparent approval process that respected both the rule and the family’s needs.
Word spread beyond their office. Local community groups and employee associations discussed the GR at their meetings. It became a reference point in parenting groups for new fathers unsure how to claim their rights. Young men entering the workforce felt less anxious about juggling career and fatherhood, seeing in the GR not merely a bureaucratic note but a social signal: the state acknowledged paternal caregiving as legitimate.
A year later, Aarav watched Arjun take his first tentative steps across the living room. He thought of the GR link he had saved on his phone — not because it had the power to change everything, but because it had changed his life in one fundamental way: it gave him the official space to be present when his family needed him most. It showed that policy, when thoughtfully applied, can ripple into everyday lives and make ordinary moments possible.
And so, the GR did more than authorize leave; it helped normalize a new expectation — that fathers could be caregivers too. For Aarav and many others in Maharashtra, a brief government resolution had bridged the distance between rules and reality, one small link leading to a quieter, kinder shift in how families and workplaces work together.
Paternity leave rules in Maharashtra vary significantly depending on whether you are a state government employee or work in the private sector 1. For Maharashtra State Government Employees Maharashtra Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1981
and subsequent amendments, male employees are entitled to specific paternity and childcare benefits: A: The 2019 GR focuses on "delivery of child
Maharashtra Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1981 - वित्त विभाग
The official rules for Paternity Leave for Maharashtra state government employees are governed by the Maharashtra Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1981 and its subsequent amendments. Official Links
Main Policy: Maharashtra Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1981 via the Finance Department of Maharashtra.
Recent Amendments: Maharashtra Civil Services (Leave) (Amendments) Rules, 2025.
General Search: You can search for specific circulars on the Official Maharashtra Government Decisions (GR) Portal by using the keyword "Paternity Leave" or "पितृत्व रजा". Key Rules Summary
Based on the Maharashtra Civil Services Rules, the eligibility and duration are as follows:
Eligibility: Male government employees (including apprentices) with less than two surviving children. Duration: A fixed period of 15 days on full pay. When Aarav's wife, Meera, went into labor on
Timeframe for Use: Must be taken within a specific window surrounding the birth: From 15 days before the expected delivery date. Up to 6 months after the date of delivery.
Continuous Leave: The leave must generally be taken as one continuous 15-day block; it cannot be split into multiple smaller periods.
Adoption & Surrogacy: Paternity leave of 15 days is also applicable to fathers in cases of valid child adoption (below one year of age) or children born through surrogacy.
Refusal: The rules state that paternity leave shall normally not be refused under any circumstances.
Leave Rules For State Government Employees (Types & Eligibility)
Teachers working in aided schools (run by private managements but funded by the state) have a patchy history. The Maharashtra Education Department issued a clarification circular in 2021 stating that the 2019 GR applies to teaching and non-teaching staff of all aided educational institutions. If your school denies you leave, present the GR link and file a grievance with the Education Officer.
Government Resolutions (GRs) in Maharashtra are hosted on the official portal of the General Administration Department (GAD) or the Mantralaya website.
Direct Download / Search Method:
A Government Resolution (GR) is an official directive issued by the Maharashtra State Government. It has the force of law for all state government departments, quasi-government bodies, local self-governments (Zilla Parishads, Municipal Corporations), and aided educational institutions. Without a specific GR, a leave policy does not exist for state employees.