Female Loco Pilots Penalised for Maternity Leave, Says Union in Salem Division

A pilots' union has claimed that female loco pilots employed by Salem Rail Division who took maternity or childcare leave were rated as "below average" in their yearly performance appraisal report for 2024–2025, which will prevent them from being promoted for three years.

The union said in a letter to the divisional railway manager of Salem and the general manager of Southern Railway that while the reporting officer gave the women good or average grades, the reviewing officer gave them lower grades.

"The reviewing officer, the divisional electrical engineer (goods) or senior divisional electrical engineer (operations), without recording disagreement to the finding of the reporting authority, simply downgraded the employee as 'below average'," A Srinivas Bhatt, president of All India Loco Running Staff Association, Salem division, alleged.

"This has blocked their promotion opportunity for another three years, as three years of APAR (annual performance appraisal report) grading is to be assessed before considering for promotion," Bhatt said.

Union office bearers claimed the administrative excesses and persistent harassment faced by loco running staff of Salem division are undermining their morale, career progression, and operational safety.

"This practice is against the laid down procedure for appraisal," the letter alleged.

"In many of such cases, the maternity/child care leave ranging from 240 days to 365 days is being assessed as below average in their annual performance," it said.

The union has brought attention to the problem by presenting around a dozen instances where APAR has been reduced.

According to the union, assistant loco pilot Mintu Jayapal received a below-average rating for the assessment year 2024–2025 because she took 179 days of maternity leave, 56 days of child care leave, and 129 days of sick leave.

"She was on leave for 364 days in the assessment year of 2024-25. In her previous year APAR, she was graded as 'average' and before that graded as good'," the letter said.

It further stated that the additional divisional railway manager has received an appeal.

The union claimed that Anju Joy, another assistant loco pilot, had a "below average" rating for the evaluation year 2024–2025 due to her 180 days of maternity leave and 59 days of childcare leave, for a total of 239 days.


The union has also claimed several other discriminatory practices, including denial of leave for legitimate reasons, unsafe working conditions for female loco pilots, and administrative action against loco pilots on shaky grounds.

With PTI inputs.