Tamil Nadu Restores 365-Day Maternity Leave for Third Child

19 August 2026· Tamil NaduNational

Tamil Nadu announced 365 days of fully-paid maternity leave for women state government employees for a third child, restoring parity with the leave available for the first two deliveries. The announcement was made in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in Chennai during the demand-for-grants discussion for the Human Resources Management Department. The move reverses a March 2026 amendment to Fundamental Rule 101(A), which had cut third-child maternity leave to just 12 weeks (84 days) following a Supreme Court directive; the Madras High Court had upheld that restriction in June 2026. The reversal increases the leave more than fourfold, back to a full year with pay. The government cited Tamil Nadu's demographic profile in its reasoning: the state's Total Fertility Rate is below 1.4, well under the replacement level of 2.1, and nearly 16% of its population is above 60 years of age. The DMK-led government's own party raised objections to the earlier restriction in the Assembly; a formal government order for implementation is awaited.

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Fundamental Rule 101(A) governs maternity leave for TN govt employees | Replacement-level fertility rate = 2.1 children per woman | ~16% of Tamil Nadu's population is above 60 years

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