Tamil NaduFriday, 2 October 2026·Hindu Tamil Thisai
Temple employees in Tamil Nadu get 12-month maternity leave and up to 240 days leave encashment
Tamil Nadu amended the 2020 rules for Hindu religious institutions to extend maternity leave and retirement benefits to temple employees.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In 2026, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department amended the Hindu Religious Institutions Employees (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2020, to extend 12 months of maternity leave and up to 240 days of earned leave encashment for temple employees in Tamil Nadu.
Key specifics
- The amendment applies to the Hindu Religious Institutions Employees (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2020.
- Female temple employees can now get 12 months of maternity leave, on par with government staff.
- Retiring temple employees can encash earned leave up to 240 days.
- The changes were announced by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department in Chennai.
- The stated aim is to improve service conditions, family welfare and social security.
Exam lens
TNPSC governance and welfare question: rules, department, leave period, and encashment limit are the testable points; a likely one-liner is “Which 2020 service rules were amended to benefit temple employees in Tamil Nadu?”