We have sooo... many holidays in India. Is this a happy situation or is it a situation to revise or reformulate the Government policy on holidays. Yes, the later is appropriate. In the wake of Globalisation and Global competition, we have to change the holiday policy to suit the present situation. The need is to reduce the number of holidays and the leave that is allowed to an employee. When compared to the countries of the western world, we, in India, have more holidays and work less number of hours in a year.
Brazil, England, Sweeden, Italy and Holland have only 8 holidays,
whereas in France and Phillippines 10, Finland 11, Belgium, Newzealand, America and Switzerland 12 and whereas we have, in India, 17 days.
In all these countries, employees work for 1700 to 1800 hours in a year, but we in India work for 1600 hrs( or even less).
It is high time that the government has to change/revise their holiday policy to suit the present day needs.
Now, let us come to the facts. And find out how many holidays and various kinds of leave accumulated to an employee, in India.
In a year:
Sundays 52
Saturdays 52
Declared holidays 17
Casual Leave 12
Earned leave or Privelege leave 30
T O T A L 163
Sick Leave ( this is on half pay) 30
Besides these days on which an employee may be absent from his duty, there are other unforseen days on which he can be absent also, they are politically motivated DHARNAS, BUNDS. Other oppertunities for absenteism are Natural calamities, death of a political leader, winning a world event (sports) by INDIA, and all sundry local disturbances. For all these, there is no punishment or the employer is compensated.
The above is the picture and is true.
Roughly, give or take one or two days, an employee can remain absent for 165 days and he attends his duties for 200 days in a year.
Let us come to the specific examples of our holidays and how wasteful they are :
Down the road there is branch of a nationalised bank. There are roughly 60 employees. There is no christian or muslim employees in the establishment, but it is closed on Xmas and Id. When I asked an employee he said we don't want a holiday and we are willing to workon these days.
If there are one or two christians or muslims, let them enjoy their festival by taking a special leave. There is no need for shutting down the office. For this, government has to increase the present level of CL from 12 days in a year to 15.
There are a number instances, where we can see holidays are wasted.
Those who read this blog, may suggest/ comment on holiday policy of the government. Government of India has displayed a questionnaire in their website www.persmin.nic.in and invited public opinion on holiday policy.