Year 2009: Government turns Santa for its women employees

FOR woman government employees in India, Christmas came much early in 2009, literally. During the entire year of 2009, Congress-led UPA government doled out many concessions and facilities to women government employees, for which the department of personnel and training (DoPT) even issued new guidelines. According to the guidelines, there would be more representation of women members on the various committees or boards which select Group C and D posts in Central government. It was made mandatory to have one woman member in the selection boards or committees where female candidates are expected to be available for service posts.

Yes, government turned Santa for its women employees much ahead of Christmas! In fact, orders were issued by DoPT in July, 2009, exempting women from payment of fees for competitive examinations or direct recruitment by interview conducted by UPSC or SSC. Further, as part of government's 100 days action Plan for increasing representation of women in Central Government jobs, ministry of road transport and highways and the ministry of urban development were requested during the year to make provision of transport facilities to working women for major work places. In addition, the year 2009 witnessed the child adoption leave getting enhanced from 135 days to 180 days and paternity leave to adoptive fathers increased to 15 days.

Finally, ministries have been advised by the DoPT that when both spouses are in same Central Service or working in same department, they may mandatorily be posted at the same station if posts are available.

(In Picture: Indian President Ms Pratibha Devisingh Patil at Christmas Carols at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on December 17, 2009. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's wife Ms Gursharan Kaur is also seen)

Also Read:

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Indian Railways' Sari cadre (July 31, 2009)

DoPT's guidelines on sexual harassment (July 25, 2009)

Monitoring recruitment in ministries (July 10, 2009)