What casual leave is
Casual leave is a concession that lets a Government servant stay away from duty for a short period in special circumstances, without the absence being counted as leave under the leave rules that apply to him. Because it is not leave under the rules, it is not entered in the leave account. Fundamental Rule 85 refers to it only to say that the rules on casual leave for State Government servants are printed as Annexure VII to the Fundamental Rules; the same executive instructions are printed as Appendix 2 to the A.P. Leave Rules, 1933.
How many days
The executive instructions printed in Appendix 2 say that no Government servant may be absent on casual leave for more than twelve days in a calendar year. Orders issued later describe the present entitlement as 15 casual leaves and 5 optional holidays in a calendar year. G.O.Ms.No. 18, Finance (HR.IV-FR & LR), dated 10-03-2021, extends five more days of casual leave, over and above the 15 casual leaves and 5 optional holidays, to all women employees under the State Government. For School Education, the Director's memo of 20-11-2025 lists, for a full calendar year, 15 casual leaves, 5 optional holidays, 7 special casual leaves and 5 additional special casual leaves for women employees.
Combining with holidays and other leave
- Casual leave may be combined with optional holidays, Sundays or other authorised holidays, provided the resulting absence from duty does not exceed ten days (Appendix 2, para 2).
- It cannot ordinarily be taken together with any leave recognised by the Leave Rules, with joining time, or with vacation (Appendix 2, para 11).
- It should not be allowed so often that a relieving officer has to be paid travelling allowance, or that extra expenditure results (para 12).
Who sanctions it
Casual leave is sanctioned by the competent authority, usually the head of the office. In School Education, under G.O.Ms.No. 84 (17-09-2012), the Headmaster of a High School grants casual leave and special casual leave to the teachers of his school, and the Mandal Educational Officer grants it to Headmasters and teachers of Primary and Upper Primary schools in the Mandal. Heads of Departments inform Government of their intention to take casual leave (Appendix 2, para 3).
Newly joined employees
A person who joins during the year gets a proportionate share for the rest of that calendar year. For example, the Director of School Education's memo of 20-11-2025 gives teachers recruited under MEGA DSC-2025, who joined on 03-10-2025, 4 casual leaves, 1 optional holiday, 2 special casual leaves and 1 additional special casual leave for women for October to December 2025.
Late attendance
Under the Secretariat Office Manual (paras 546 and 547), as clarified in U.O. Note No. 671 of 10-04-1985 (G.A. Services-C), late attendance with prior permission up to three times a month is not counted. Each further three late attendances in the month cost one day of casual leave. This is the rule for Secretariat staff; other offices follow their own instructions.
Related pages
Casual leave is different from special casual leave, which is granted for particular purposes (sterilisation operations, blood donation, sports, service association office bearers and so on) and does not count against casual leave. See the orders listed below for the original texts.