UPSC Prelims 2019 Q76: Indian Polity – Social Justice & Vulnerable Sections
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c) 3 only
Explanation
Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017
| Statement | Claim | Verdict | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 months pre + 3 months post-delivery paid leave | FALSE | Act provides 26 weeks (6.5 months) TOTAL paid leave, of which not more than 8 weeks can be availed pre-delivery - rest is post-delivery. Not 3+3. |
| 2 | Creche - mother gets minimum 6 visits daily | FALSE | Establishments with 50+ employees must provide creche. Mother is allowed FOUR visits per day (including rest intervals), not six. |
| 3 | Women with two or more children get reduced entitlement | TRUE | For 3rd or subsequent child, entitlement is only 12 weeks (6 pre + 6 post), not 26 weeks. |
Only statement 3 is correct. Answer: (c) 3 only.
Answer: (c) 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 1 (3+3 structure) is wrong - Act allows up to 8 weeks pre-delivery within a 26-week total.
- (b) Incorrect. Statement 2 (6 visits) is wrong - only 4 creche visits per day allowed.
- (c) CORRECT. Only statement 3 is right - women with two or more surviving children get reduced entitlement (12 weeks vs 26 weeks).
- (d) Incorrect. Statements 1 and 2 are wrong.
Key point
MB Amendment 2017: 26 weeks paid leave for first two children (max 8 weeks pre-delivery). 12 weeks for third+ child. Creche mandatory in 50+ employee firms. 4 creche visits/day.
Remember
Only statement 3 is correct. The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act 2017 gives 26 weeks paid leave (not 3+3 months), allows 4 creche visits per day (not 6), and provides REDUCED entitlement (12 weeks) for women with two or more surviving children.
Common mistakes
- Confusing 26-week total leave with a 3+3 (6-month) split.
- Assuming 6 creche visits - the number is 4 per day.
- Missing the two-children cutoff for reduced entitlement.
Exam tip
MB Amendment 2017 highlights: (i) 26 weeks paid leave (up from 12). (ii) Max 8 weeks pre-delivery. (iii) 12 weeks for 3rd+ child. (iv) 12 weeks for adopting mothers (adopting a child below 3 months). (v) Creche facility mandatory in 50+ employee firms. (vi) Work-from-home option post-leave.
Sources
- Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 - Ministry of Labour
- PIB - Maternity Benefit Amendment Act notifications