OPINION
In a trailblazing reform that marks Sikkim as the first state in the country to introduce a formal Sabbatical Leave scheme, the Government has empowered its workforce especially the youth with a rare opportunity for personal and professional growth. Introduced in August 2023 through a notification by the Department of Personnel, the policy allows regular state government employees who have completed at least five years of continuous service to avail of leave from 365 days up to a maximum of 1,080 days (nearly three years) while receiving 50% of their basic pay during their absence. Importantly, the scheme preserves their seniority, ensuring continuity in service, and the government retains the right to recall the employee with one month’s notice.
Recognising the value of extended leave for temporary staff, the policy was expanded to include them as well. Temporary employees become eligible after six months of continuous service, with the same structural provisions in place. These amendments have increased flexibility within the administrative framework and enabled broader access to the scheme.
Further enhancing the scheme’s effectiveness, in April 2025 the government delegated approval authority: Heads of Departments (HoDs) can now grant Sabbatical Leave to Group C and D employees (including temporary staff), while Group A and B employees must seek approval from the Secretary of the Personnel Department. This decentralisation streamlines processes and accelerates decision-making.
The Sabbatical Leave scheme stands as a tangible demonstration of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang Golay’s belief in nurturing the human capital of Sikkim. By permitting employees to pursue further studies, vocational upskilling, entrepreneurial ventures, or cultural and social responsibilities without forfeiting job security, the government is fostering a more dynamic and enriched public service.
This initiative offers youth the freedom to explore advanced qualifications, training opportunities, or ventures that align with their passions. For many, it represents a transformative bridge between service and self-development particularly for younger professionals eager to deepen skills in emerging fields or explore innovation and creativity.
In addition to innovation, the scheme mirrors the compassionate core of the current leadership. Sikkim is demonstrating how progressive governance isn’t limited to policy announcements but includes provisions that empower individuals to rise to learn, contribute, and lead in their own time.
As Sikkim redefines administrative norms with a forward-thinking approach, its Sabbatical Leave policy emerges not just as a leave provision, but as a catalyst for lifelong learning and a statement of trust in its workforce. It is a proud milestone that reflects Chief Minister Golay’s commitment to inclusive and human-centric governance placing people’s potential at the centre of policy.
Archana Bhattarai, a Commercial Tax Inspector in the Finance Department, is a direct beneficiary of the pioneering Sabbatical Leave policy introduced by the Government of Sikkim under the leadership of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang Golay. Availing the leave in August 2024, she successfully completed her Chartered Accountancy (CA) final exams, a goal she had long aspired to but could not pursue due to professional commitments. This policy, the first of its kind in India, enabled her to focus entirely on her academic ambition without sacrificing job security or seniority. Archana’s success reflects the transformative impact of this visionary policy in empowering young professionals across Sikkim.
Expressing her gratitude, Archana states, “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘊𝘈 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘯’𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘪𝘬𝘬𝘪𝘮.”
Ashwin, an Assistant Engineer in the Government of Sikkim, utilized the Sabbatical Leave policy after completing five years of service to launch an EdTech startup. In just one year, his venture generated Rs 45 lakh in revenue and created employment for eight talented local youths. His startup was also the only one from Sikkim selected for DigiSapne 2.0, an accelerator program conducted by the Ministry of IT, Government of India, in association with AIC-SMU TBI. This achievement underscores how the Sabbatical Leave scheme, envisioned by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, is enabling Sikkimese youth to take bold, innovative steps.
Ashwin says, “𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘧𝘶𝘭. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘯’𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺.”
Arpan Gurung, a Graduate Teacher (Mathematics) appointed at K.B. Limboo Senior Secondary School, Sribadam, Soreng District, availed Sabbatical Leave on 17th June 2025 under the progressive policy. Hailing from Sribadam, he used this opportunity to pursue his passion for sustainable agriculture.
During his sabbatical, he established Hasyam Farms, a commercial Rainbow Trout enterprise, and launched a large-scale Dalle Khursani (fireball cherry pepper) cultivation project. Today, he manages a group of 87 fish farmers in his village, with active support from the Department of Fisheries.
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢 𝘎𝘛 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘏𝘰𝘯’𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 ‘𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺, 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳,’ 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩.”
These stories are more than personal milestones, they are proof that the Sabbatical Leave scheme is a meaningful instrument of empowerment and renewal. It represents a leadership philosophy that is compassionate, practical, and visionary. By trusting its employees and supporting their aspirations, the Government of Sikkim is not just reforming governance, but reshaping the very idea of public service. This scheme will undoubtedly inspire many more youth across the state to rise beyond limitations and realise their full potential, ushering in a brighter, bolder Sikkim.
- Yougan Tamang
Press Secretary to Chief Minister of Sikkim
