Follow rules or face consequences: Centre tells civil servants in revised guidelines for study leaves

The Centre has revised guidelines for IAS, IPS and IFoS officers going on study leave, making it mandatory for them to follow the service rules, failure of which would attract disciplinary and consequential actions.

The move comes after it noticed instances of certain all India service officers not conducting themselves fully in consonance with the spirit of the AIS (Conduct) Rules, 1968 while on study leave.

There are three all India services (AIS) -- Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

Now, such officers will have to give an undertaking as part of a revised bond that they will abide by the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968 and the guidelines on conduct during study leave, failure of which would make them liable for disciplinary action, according to a personnel ministry order.

The bond to be executed before proceeding on study leave has accordingly been revised, where a member of service shall, inter-alia, undertake to abide by the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968 and the guidelines on conduct during study leave, it said in the order issued to chief secretaries of all states.

"I am fully aware that in case I am found in violation of the conduct rules or the guidelines on conduct during study leave as prescribed, I shall be liable for disciplinary action to be initiated against me," reads the part of the undertaking to be given by the officers.

"I also hereby undertake that I understand that, in case of violation of the conduct rules or the said guidelines, further consequential action may also lie against me including such violation being taken into account during the process of empanelment in central government, being re-called from study leave and/or debarment from future study leave and optional training programs," it further says.

The guidelines say that the officers are "expected to display a level of maturity and sensitivity befitting a senior officer of the government".

"The member of service is expected to exercise discretion in his/her interactions with foreign nationals and/or mission and in his/her interactions on social media," reads the guidelines, adding that such officers shall not overstay beyond the period of the approved leave.

The personnel ministry said before forwarding the proposal of ex-India study leave of any member of service to the central government, the state governments shall satisfy themselves that the member of service fulfils all requisite conditions for grant of study leave.

"They will also exercise due diligence to ensure that the proposed study course is relevant to the officer's area of work and future career growth and is in public interest, before seeking approval of the central government under AIS (Study Leave) Regulations, 1960," it said.

State governments may also like to satisfy themselves regarding the suitability of the member of service before forwarding proposals for consideration of the central government, said the recent order issued also to the home secretary and secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The state governments are also advised to ensure that the member of service is properly briefed before he/she proceeds on study leave, it added.