Practical, expert-written guides on CCS Pension Rules, CCS Leave Rules, and other service matters — written for Central Government employees and pensioners.
Fresh DoPT, MoHUA and Health Ministry circulars and Office Memorandums, explained as soon as they're issued. See the full running list on the What's New page.
How the new PAN-based, Bhavishya-linked workflow for CGHS Pensioner Cards works for retiring Central Government employees, and why the old CGHS Portal route still w...
Read article →A fresh DoPT circular flags last-minute LTC bookings driving up fares — what the 21-day booking advisory and 30-day advance application timeline mean for your clai...
Read article →The complete revised rate table for Type I to Type VIII GPRA accommodation, servant quarters, garages and hostel rooms, effective 1 July 2026.
Read article →CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 — family pension, gratuity, commutation, VRS, nominations and the latest amendments.
Everything a Central Government employee or pensioner's family needs to know about Family Pension under Rule 50 of CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 — eligibility order...
Read article →DoPPW's Office Memorandum dated 01.01.2024 amends Rule 50 of CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, allowing a female Government servant or female pensioner facing divorce ...
Read article →A practical walkthrough of Rule 43 — who can take voluntary retirement, how much notice is required, what happens to pension and gratuity, and the step-by-step ...
Read article →Understand how much lump sum you receive on commuting a part of your pension, the commutation factor table by age, the 40% commutation limit, and how the commut...
Read article →A clear explanation of how retirement gratuity and death gratuity are calculated under Rules 44 and 45 of CCS (Pension) Rules 2021, including the current ceilin...
Read article →Most employees fill nomination forms once at the time of joining and forget them. This article explains why nominations for GPF, gratuity, and family pension ar...
Read article →Dismissal or removal from service does not always mean a complete loss of pensionary benefits. This article explains the Compassionate Allowance provision under...
Read article →What happens between your last working day and your first pension credit? This article walks through the entire pension sanction timeline, the forms involved, a...
Read article →If a Government servant is invalidated from service due to a disability — whether or not connected to their job — they may be entitled to disability pension or ...
Read article →Many retired Central Government employees take up re-employment in PSUs, autonomous bodies, or government departments. This article explains how their pay is fi...
Read article →CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 — earned leave, half pay leave, CCL, maternity/paternity leave, encashment, study leave and more.
Earned Leave is the most commonly used leave for Central Government employees. This article explains Rules 26-28 of the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 — how leave is c...
Read article →Half Pay Leave is credited at 5/3 days per month, and Commuted Leave lets you convert it into full-pay leave on medical grounds — but at double the debit. This ...
Read article →Child Care Leave gives female Government servants (and single male employees) up to 730 days of leave during their career to care for their two eldest children....
Read article →From a 180-day maternity leave to 15-day paternity leave and special provisions for adoption and surrogacy, this article walks through Rules 43, 43-A, 43-AA and...
Read article →Leave encashment is one of the largest lump-sum benefits a retiring employee receives. This article explains the 300-day cap, the cash equivalent formula, encas...
Read article →Extraordinary Leave is leave without pay, granted only in special circumstances. This article explains Rule 32 — the time limits, medical exceptions for TB/canc...
Read article →Leave Not Due lets an employee take half pay leave in advance of earning it — essentially borrowing against future leave credit. This article explains the condi...
Read article →Study Leave allows Government servants to pursue higher studies while remaining in service, subject to a bond to serve afterward. This article covers eligibilit...
Read article →Two important but lesser-known leave provisions: WRIIL for employees injured in the course of duty, and Special Leave of up to 90 days for an aggrieved woman du...
Read article →From filling Form 1 to combining earned leave with half pay leave, prefixing holidays, and the 5-year maximum continuous leave limit — this article is a practic...
Read article →CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988 — Leave Travel Concession block years, eligible family, air travel and Special Dispensation, advances, reimbursement and leave encashment.
Who is covered, who is excluded, the types of LTC available, the current 2026-2029 block year, and how the Leave Travel Concession scheme actually works in pra...
Read article →A clear breakdown of how Hometown LTC and Anywhere in India LTC work, how the 2026-2029 block is structured, and how to carry forward an unavailed LTC without ...
Read article →A practical guide to who counts as "family" under the CCS LTC Rules — spouse, children, parents, siblings and special cases — and the dependency conditions tha...
Read article →Entitlement, the three Authorized Travel Agents, flexi-fare rules, and the Special Dispensation Scheme for the North-East, J&K, Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar I...
Read article →How to draw an LTC advance, get your travel reimbursed correctly, avoid forfeiture of your claim, and encash up to 10 days of earned leave while availing LTC.
Read article →CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 — practical guides on integrity, gifts, political neutrality, property returns, investments, media interaction and more.
Rule 3 is the bedrock of the Conduct Rules — from absolute integrity and devotion to duty to political neutrality, transparency and professionalism. All 21 sub-clauses explained with examples and a disciplinary reference table.
Read article →Three supplementary rules that reach into the everyday workplace: the duty to be prompt and courteous, the obligation to align personal conduct with Government policies, and the prohibition of sexual harassment at any workplace.
Read article →Can a Government servant vote? Display a party sticker? Canvass for a candidate? Rule 5 draws the exact lines — with a clear table of what is and is not permitted, and an explanation of family member obligations.
Read article →Which associations a Government servant may not join, what demonstrations are prohibited, and the absolute bar on all forms of strike and coercion — with the constitutional background and a quick-reference table.
Read article →Can a Government servant own a newspaper? Write a blog? Post critical opinions on social media? Rules 8 and 9 answer all of this — including the social media risk that many employees underestimate.
Read article →What counts as a gift, the ₹25,000 / ₹15,000 / ₹7,500 reporting thresholds by group, the prior-sanction limits, and the absolute prohibition on gifts from foreign firms with official dealings — all in one guide.
Read article →Running a shop, writing articles, volunteering, appearing on TV, managing a society — Rule 15 covers all of it. A clear two-column breakdown of what requires prior Government sanction and what can be done freely.
Read article →Can a Government servant invest in shares? Trade F&O? Lend money to a friend? Apply for a PSU IPO? Rule 16 separates permitted long-term investment from prohibited speculation and sets firm limits on lending and borrowing.
Read article →Initial return at joining, annual returns for Group A and B, the two-months'-pay threshold for movable property transactions, prior knowledge vs prior sanction for immovable property, and who the prescribed authority is for each group.
Read article →The three rules that reach furthest into personal life: the restrictions on bigamy and foreign marriages, the four-pronged prohibition on intoxication in and out of the office, and the absolute bar on employing children below 14.
Read article →CCS (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965 — classification, suspension, penalties, disciplinary procedure, appeals, revision and review for Central Government employees.
Key definitions — appointing authority, disciplinary authority, Government servant — and the scope of application: who is covered, who is excluded, and how doubts are resolved.
Read article →How Central Civil Services are classified into Group A, B, C and D, the role of the Schedule, the General Central Service, and the Class-to-Group transition under Rule 6-A.
Read article →When suspension can be ordered, deemed suspension on detention or conviction, the mandatory 90-day review, extension limits, and what happens when a penalty is set aside on remand.
Read article →All nine penalties — censure through dismissal — explained with the minor/major distinction, the mandatory dismissal rule for corruption charges, and what does not amount to a penalty.
Read article →Who can impose which penalties on which Government servants — the President's overriding power, Secretary and Head of Office powers over Group C/D, and the rule against subordinate authorities imposing major penalties.
Read article →Who can start a disciplinary proceeding — the President's power to direct, and how a minor-penalty authority can initiate proceedings that may ultimately lead to major penalties.
Read article →How a major penalty inquiry begins — articles of charge, the 45-day cap on written defence, appointment of Inquiry Officer and Presenting Officer, and the first hearing.
Read article →Examination and cross-examination of witnesses, the strict rule on new evidence, ex parte inquiry, mandatory inquiry report contents, and the 6-month time limit.
Read article →What happens after the inquiry report — disagreement notes, UPSC consultation, the Government servant's right to represent, and how the final penalty order is made.
Read article →Written intimation, opportunity to represent, and when a full Rule 14 inquiry becomes mandatory even for a minor penalty — particularly when increments are withheld.
Read article →When multiple Government servants can be tried in one proceeding, and the three exceptional situations where the full inquiry can be dispensed with — criminal conviction, impracticability, and State security.
Read article →Disciplinary jurisdiction over Government servants on deputation — who can suspend, who conducts the inquiry, and why major penalties must go back to the lending authority.
Read article →Which orders can and cannot be appealed, who the appellate authority is for each Group, the 45-day limitation, form requirements, and how appeals are decided.
Read article →The difference between revision (multiple authorities, no new material needed) and review (President only, requires new evidence that changes the case) — with safeguards before penalty enhancement.
Read article →What must be communicated to the Government servant with the final order, service of notices, power to condone delay, transitory provisions, repeal and saving, and removal of doubts.
Read article →Travelling Allowance Rules — entitlements on tour, transfer and retirement, Daily Allowance, Composite Transfer Grant, mileage allowance and the latest amendments since 2017.
Complete breakdown of TA entitlement by Pay Level for official tour — air, rail, road and sea travel, Premium/Tejas train rules, and the conditions that apply ac...
Read article →How the lump-sum DA system works — hotel and taxi ceilings by Pay Level, the food lump sum, self-certification rules, and the timing-based payment slabs.
Read article →CTG rates by distance, the husband-wife transfer rule, personal effects transportation limits, and conveyance transport entitlement for transferred employees.
Read article →How CTG eligibility on retirement depends on where you settle, personal effects and conveyance transport entitlement, and how it differs from transfer TA.
Read article →Mileage rates for road journeys, the DA-linked 25% escalation clause already triggered since 2017, Tejas Express entitlement, boarding pass rule, and more.
Read article →How core salary components are actually calculated — Dearness Allowance, HRA and other pay-linked allowances for Central Government employees, explained mechanism-first.
General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017 — complete 15-article series covering all 12 chapters, 324 rules, procurement, contracts, accounts and the July 2024 amendments. See the full GFR 2017 series index.
What GFR 2017 is, its 12-chapter structure covering 324 rules, who it applies to, and the evolution from GFR 1947 to 2017.
Read article →Estimates, appropriation, re-appropriation, surrender, supplementary demands, Contingency Fund, and the Output-Outcome Framework.
Read article →The five cardinal obligations every Government officer handling public money must follow, with practical examples and FAQ.
Read article →Classification of accounts, Consolidated Fund, Contingency Fund, Public Account, and the roles of CGA, PAO, DDO and C&AG.
Read article →Administrative approval, expenditure sanction, technical sanction, execution methods, and the July 2024 revised financial thresholds.
Read article →Procurement planning, Make in India preference, registered vendors, MSME reservation, Rate Contracts, and inspection.
Read article →Advertised open tender, limited tender enquiry, single source procurement, two-bid system, and emergency purchase rules.
Read article →Updated financial thresholds, bidding requirements, mandatory GeM obligation, exceptions, and buyer/seller obligations.
Read article →QCBS, LCS, EOI, identification of consultants, evaluation, contract types, and the July 2024 revised thresholds.
Read article →Receipt, custody, accounting, physical verification, disposal of surplus/obsolete stores, and loss reporting.
Read article →Principles of government contracts, performance security, liquidated damages, force majeure, and termination provisions.
Read article →Conditions for grants, utilisation certificates, PFMS compliance, loans to states and bodies, and audit requirements.
Read article →Budgeting, accounting and reporting for World Bank, ADB and JICA-funded projects, counterpart funding, and DEA coordination.
Read article →Conditions for giving guarantees, guarantee fee, register of guarantees, quarterly review, and invocation safeguards.
Read article →Security deposits, write-off of losses, advances to government servants, refunds, records management, and winding up of funds.
Read article →Delegation of Financial Powers Rules (DFPR) 2024 — complete 10-topic series covering all 21 rules, in English and Hindi, effective from 1 April 2024. See the full DFPR 2024 series index.
What DFPR 2024 is, why it replaced DFPR 1978, its 21-rule structure, and who it applies to.
Read article →Parliament's role, general conditions on sanctioning powers, residuary powers, primary units of appropriation, and allotment of funds.
Read article →General restrictions, Chief Accounting Authority powers, absolute prohibitions, and revised monetary limits for re-appropriation.
Read article →The Secretary's power to sanction contracts up to ₹100 crore (open/limited tender) and ₹25 crore (single/negotiated tender).
Read article →How Departments delegate financial powers downward, the three non-delegable powers, and Head of Office rules.
Read article →Monetary limits for writing off losses of stores, revenue and loans, and vehicle condemnation criteria by distance and age.
Read article →Why Government property is generally not insured, and the conditions and ₹2 lakh ceiling for waiving overpayment recovery.
Read article →Appraisal and approval of Schemes/Projects, and conditions for sanctioning grants-in-aid, scholarships and loans.
Read article →When Government trading and pricing proposals need Finance Ministry concurrence, and conditions for dismantling public buildings.
Read article →The exact wording to communicate Finance Ministry/Financial Adviser concurrence to audit, and the DFPR 1978 repeal savings clause.
Read article →CVC's Vigilance Manual (Updated 2021) — complete 10-topic series covering vigilance administration, CVOs, complaints, PIDPI, CBI, disciplinary proceedings, PSB/insurance vigilance, CTEO and preventive vigilance, in English and Hindi. See the full Vigilance Manual series index.
CVC's structure, its jurisdiction under Section 8, and the definition of "vigilance angle", updated with the 2025 Master Circular.
Read article →Appointment process, tenure rules, preventive and punitive vigilance functions, and accountability.
Read article →Sources of complaints, the rule on anonymous complaints, and the 2024 revised DoPT complaint-handling guidelines.
Read article →How whistleblower complaints are handled under the PIDPI Resolution — process, confidentiality, and protection.
Read article →Choosing the right agency, the parallel-investigation rule, and the ₹25 lakh threshold for referring cases to CBI.
Read article →The Vineet Narain judgment, Section 4 superintendence, and the shift to BNSS 2023.
Read article →CCS (CCA) Rules penalties, Rule 14 vs Rule 16 procedure, suspension rules, and the 2024 update on timely finalisation of Departmental Inquiries.
Read article →Fraud reporting thresholds for CBI referral, the Advisory Board for Banking and Financial Frauds, and 2022/2025 updates.
Read article →How CTEO's Intensive Examinations work, and the QPR reporting thresholds for procurement contracts.
Read article →Preventive vigilance measures, the sealed cover procedure for promotion, managing conflict of interest, and e-Vigilance.
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