Paid leave for Government Officers| Circular 26/2013

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The circular number 26/2013 provides guidelines regarding the granting of study leave for pursuing full-time or part-time domestic courses at universities in Sri Lanka, the National Education Institute, and other government-recognized third-level education institutions.

However, according to the circular, many government officials face difficulties in obtaining leave due to various reasons such as misunderstanding the circular, lack of knowledge about application procedures, deficiency of required documents, and delays. This registration will guide those individuals.

Circular 26/2013: Download

According to Circular 26/2013, those who take study leave will need to obtain permission for leave in the following 04 instances. Although each of these requires separate permission under different circumstances, the methods for obtaining permission may vary.

1. Permission to continue the course of study.  
2. Permission to take duty leave of absence for attending the day school during the course of study.  
3. Permission to take study leave for examinations.  
4. Permission to extend the course of study duration.

Note:

Any leave must be obtained with permission, and its documents should be kept safe. For example, even if an exam or school event occurs on weekends, special holiday days, or school term break days, it is mandatory to obtain permission from the institution's head. Failure to do so may result in being unable to obtain leave for the final exams of the course or to receive the course's allocation.

1. Permission to continue the course of study.  

This is the first permission that anyone wishing to pursue any course of study with a salary must obtain.

Applications for competitive exams for course selection and letters from the heads of institutions confirming the position for course registration will not be considered as permission to continue the course.

This first permission must be obtained from the Secretary of the Ministry. If this permission is not obtained, no other permission can be obtained. It cannot be requested.

2. Permission to take leave of absence for attending day school during the course of study.

Classes held during the course of study are referred to as day schools. This includes a day off for attending classes held on weekdays at institutions like the Open University of Sri Lanka, as well as Monday or Friday holidays provided for the weekend.

3. Permission to take leave for examinations.  

It is essential to obtain individual permission to take leave for examinations that occur during the course of study.

For this purpose, according to Section 6 of Circular 26/2013, a student may take leave for exam preparation within a period that includes the day of the exam or up to a maximum of 20 days prior to the exam (excluding weekends and special holidays).

If the examination is conducted in two parts (Two Semester), a total of 20 days will be provided for both parts combined. This can be divided into two separate instances as needed.

4. Permission to Extend the Duration of the Course

After obtaining the first permission, there may be reasons that prevent the completion of the course within the specified time. For example, if the course is continued under the first permission from 2023.08.01 to 2024.07.31 and is not completed by 2024.07.31, it will be necessary to renew the permission for any additional extended period.