IAS,IPS officers to sign bond before going on study leave:Govt

The IAS, IPS and IFoS officers need to execute a bond agreeing to refund all expenses borne on them by the government on their study leave in case they fail to return on duty after such sabbatical, the Centre has said.
Under the existing rule, an officer of all-India services--Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS)--are supposed to sign a bond which requires putting in specified period of service after expiry of the study leave.
"It has come to the notice of this Department that the provisions of the aforesaid bond are being circumvented and officers who have availed study leave proceed on prolonged spells of leave due and admissible to them and thus do not put in active service for the requisite period as indicated in the bond executed by them," the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said in a directive.

In view of which, the provisions of the earlier prescribed format of the bond have been reviewed and decided to revise its format, it said.
In the event of my failing to resume duty or resigning or retiring from service or otherwise quitting service without returning to duty after the expiry or termination of the period of study leave or failing to complete the course of study, an officer shall pay to the government the sum together with interest on government loans, said the revised bond format.
All the ministries, departments, state governments are requested to ensure that the necessary bond in respect of grant of study leave under the All India Services (Study Leave) Regulations, 1960 may henceforth be obtained in the revised formats, it said in the order sent to chief secretary of all state governments and union territories.

"There were instances where officers were either leaving the government job after completion of study leave or extending the period of such courses. The bond will ensure that they return to their job and do some value addition in their work through their learning during the study leave," a DoPT official said.