Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:58am on 19 Aug 2026,Wednesday India
The Tamil Nadu government has announced that women government employees will receive 365 days of maternity leave for their third child, up from the existing 12 weeks. Human Resources Management Minister D. Sarathkumar made the announcement in the state Assembly on August 18. The earlier 12-week limit was introduced in March 2026 for employees with two or more surviving children, following a Supreme Court ruling, and was upheld by the Madras High Court in June. The new decision reverses that restriction and brings third-child maternity benefits in line with those for the first two children. The move comes amid concerns over Tamil Nadu’s declining fertility rate and ageing population. (PC: EPS)
